3/27/2008
In less than two months, the University of Oklahoma's Reforestation Campaign has passed the $1 million mark, with $500,000 in donations from OU alumni, faculty, staff and students matched by a $500,000 challenge grant made by OU Regent Jon R. Stuart and his wife, Dee Dee, through the Stuart Family Foundation.
The Reforestation Campaign, headed by OU First Lady Molly Shi Boren, was launched in February to address the December 2007 ice storm damage on all three OU campuses. During the ice storm, more than 1,000 trees were lost on the Norman campus alone. The cost on all three campuses - Norman, the Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City and the Schusterman Center in Tulsa - including pruning, removing the destroyed trees and replanting the lost trees - is expected to be more than $1.7 million. With $350,000 anticipated in Federal Emergency Management Act assistance, the Reforestation Campaign continues in efforts to reach the goal of $1.7 million.
The Stuart $500,000 Challenge gave OU donors until the end of 2008 to raise a matching amount, but with the tremendous outpouring of support, that goal was met within six weeks.
"It has been so meaningful to me to see our students, alumni and friends of the University respond in such a generous way to the need to reforest the campus," said OU President David L. Boren.
More than 1,200 alumni, students, faculty and staff have made gifts to the campaign. Many of the donors called or sent notes expressing concern and affection for OU's tree canopy.
"If there is one thing we have learned in this effort," said Mrs. Boren, "it is that our OU family does certainly love our trees. It has been gratifying to witness the generosity and support of so many people."
Gifts came in all sizes, from the $20.08 donations made by members of the Class of 2008, who selected Reforestation as a focus of their Senior Gift, to contributions of $10,000 and $5,000 from many of OU's donors.
OU students contributed in numerous ways, including collecting almost $11,000 for the campaign during men's and women's basketball games. In addition, thousands of OU students participated in "Rake It Up," a tree debris clean up event in January, and tree-planting activities during March's Arbor Week, providing the labor-cost equivalent of $200,000.
The OU faculty and staff Campus Campaign, which has already raised $61,000 for Reforestation from more than 250 faculty and staff members, continues through June.
« back to archive