Pirate Nation Gives | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of ECU News Services. The author of this post is Patricia Earnhardt Tyndall.


East Carolina University College of Health and Human Performance Director of Outreach Mack Craven, right, helps a student write a thank you letter to a gift donor during last year's Pirate Nation Gives. The annual day of giving returns for the seventh year this Wednesday. (ECU photo by Cliff Hollis)
    No matter who they are, where they are or how much they give, East Carolina University is calling for all hands on deck in support of Pirate Nation Gives.

    ECU will celebrate its seventh annual day of giving on Wednesday. Pirate Nation Gives is a 24-hour online fundraising event encouraging alumni, friends, faculty, staff, parents and students to unite and support the university.

    "No matter where you are in the world, you are a part of the Pirate Nation. This is our moment to be all hands on deck to support the university," said Christopher Dyba, vice chancellor for university advancement. "No matter the size of the gift, everyone can support ECU's pursuit to be a national model for student success, public service and regional transformation."

    Last year's event set new records with 1,500 donors raising more than $8.4 million. This year's campaign aims to build on that participation. New activities, such as Name a Squirrel, a pint-sized PeeDee search and philanthropy honor cords, are planned to boost involvement on campus.

    Champions of the university have answered the call by establishing numerous challenges for donors, which, when fulfilled, will unlock additional gifts supporting scholarships and programs across all disciplines.

    Details about each challenge and all the ways to participate are available online.

    Priorities for this year's Pirate Nation Gives include student scholarships, health care initiatives, athletics, and faculty and program support. However, donors can make gifts to any area they feel passionate about. All donations through Pirate Nation Gives are part of the university's Pursue Gold Campaign. March 22 is expected to be the final giving day of the campaign.

    Every gift makes an impact for ECU. Scholarships provide access to a top-tier education, donations to programs expand service and outreach opportunities and learning experiences open doors for students to pursue their dreams after graduation. As a result of Pirate Nation Gives donations, ECU senior Emma Smith attended the National Retail Federation Foundation Student Program in New York. The opportunity led to a job offer for Smith.

    Throughout Wednesday, leaderboards on the Pirate Nation Gives website will track support for areas of campus and encourage giving with a competitive spirit. Numerous social media challenges will give participants the opportunity to win bonus money for their favorite ECU area or fund.

    Pirate Nation Gives is about everything East Carolina - students, research, arts, health care, athletics and more - and combining one person's philanthropy with that of others to create limitless possibilities.