Thanks to Penn's Way Volunteers
Dear Members of the Penn Community:
I am thrilled by the spectacular success of the Penn's Way 2000 Campaign, which far exceeded its $300,000 goal, raising $388,298 for area organizations.
That not only reflects the generosity of more than 1,600 Penn faculty and staff who contributed to this year's campaign, it also clearly demonstrates the wisdom of putting dedicated and creative Penn volunteer coordinators and facilitators back in charge of our annual charitable drive.
Penn's Way 2000 brought a renewed sense of spirit and community back to charitable giving on campus. Through weekly raffles, breakfasts, and other occasions for personalized contact, our volunteers rallied the Penn community to give generously to organizations that provide critical assistance to so many people.
Moreover, Penn's Way 2000 illustrated the capacity of the University, as the largest private-sector employer in Philadelphia, to act as a major force for positive change. In this instance, the Penn community collectively has made a tremendous impact on area charities that will be felt for years to come.
Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, "What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."
We know within Penn's faculty and staff lies a wealth of goodness. So many of you take time from impossibly busy schedules and personal obligations to perform acts of kindness--as teachers, mentors, and healers--throughout our city.
By tapping that vein of goodness, the volunteers for Penn's Way 2000 brought out the best of our Penn community. Every one of you has my deepest and enduring thanks.
--Judith Rodin, President
Almanac, Vol. 46, No. 27, April 4, 2000