Torch - Fall 2015

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| FALL 2015 • TORCH 13
When a Havergal student or Old Girl hears the word “gold,”
she may think of a prize or award that she won for a special
achievement, or she may think about Havergal alumna, Jill Apps,
and her two gold medal hockey wins at the Olympics. For graduates
of the last decade, GOLD is now an acronym for the cohort of most
recent Old Girls—Graduates Of the Last Decade.
Last year, as Havergal celebrated its 120th birthday, a new giving
society was launched—the GOLD society. Created to honour
young Old Girls who donate to Havergal’s Annual Giving Program,
participation lies at the core of the GOLD society. To honour its
establishment, we paired one lucky GOLD society member with
another member of the Havergal Old Girls Association (HOGA) for
a professional coaching session. GOLDen Old Girl Kate Applin 2005
was our lucky winner for her participation in the Annual Giving
Program at Havergal College.
Applin was a strong leader during her time at Havergal and she
continues to thrive as a young professional. Recently, she successfully
completed her MBA at Wilfried Laurier University. Throughout
her post-secondary education, she made giving back to Havergal
through our monthly giving program one of her personal charitable
priorities. It was a great pleasure to pair her with fellow Old Girl
Jane Ross 1979, who also continues to support Havergal in so many
ways as a donor, as a professional coach and as a facilitator for
professional development sessions with HOGA.
Old Girls like Applin and Ross continue to strengthen the culture
of philanthropy at our school. They know first-hand the value of
a Havergal education, and their support and participation in our
community is paramount to the long-term success of Havergal
College. Each generation of Havergal families has benefited from
those generous members of the community, who have understood
the need to keep Havergal at the leading edge of girls’ education.
Old Girls from 1944 to 2015 continue to show their support for
Havergal by making gifts to their class endowments each year. For
current students at Havergal, the tradition of the class endowment
begins in Grade 12. Old Girls and—more recently—their families
have been establishing class endowments as a legacy to their
graduating year since 1947. These funds support many different
areas at the school, including bursaries, curriculum enrichment, the
arts, music, athletics and green initiatives, to name just a few. The
power of these gifts over the last 75 years can be seen throughout the
halls at Havergal. The generosity of those who have come before is
prevalent in every nook and cranny of the school’s beautiful campus
and has touched the lives of all its students over the decades.
So what does the word GOLD mean to you? Whether you are a
current student, Old Girl, current or past parent or another
community member, you have the power to contribute to this
extraordinary place. We know that amazing things happen when you
invest your time, talent and treasure at Havergal. The power of our
combined philanthropy will be felt for many decades to come.
Old Girls Kate Applin 2005 and Jane Ross 1979
“
“
Just as ripples spread out
when a single pebble is
dropped into water, the
actions of individuals can
have far-reaching effects.
—Dalai Lama
The Power of GOLD
By Heather Colwell, Senior Development Officer
Advancement & Community Relations