Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Water Polo and Swimming & Diving Matching Gift Challenge
8/11/2009 8:00:00 AM | Men's Swimming and Diving
Aug. 11, 2009
Dan '78 and Chris (Peterjohn '76) Richards have created a matching challenge program for friends, fans and alumni of Bucknell water polo and swimming and diving to help increase long-term support for these varsity sports and honor former Bison coach Dick Russell.
Up to a limit of $250,000, the Richards will accelerate payment of their multi-year $1.5 million pledge to the new "Russell Endowment" by matching qualifying gifts and pledges made by others, as follows:
1. Qualifying gifts and pledges made by individual donors, of...
2. at least $5,000 to an endowment fund named to honor Coach Dick Russell in support of the water polo and/or swimming and diving programs,
3. paid on or before June 30, 2012, plus...
4. corporate matching gifts resulting from qualified gifts and payments made by individual donors...
5. ...will be matched by accelerated pledge payments from Dan and Chris Richards into the Russell Endowment no later than Dec. 31 of the second year following the year in which the qualified gift or payment is received.
Together, these new gifts, and the early payment of the Richards' multi-year pledge, will speed the growth of endowment funds supporting the varsity aquatics teams at Bucknell.
The Richards want to encourage donors to continue making their annual gifts to the Bison Club in support of their aquatics program of choice. While endowment funds will provide long-term support for the aquatics programs, the dollars raised through annual giving to the Bison Athletics program cover roughly 40 percent of the departments' operating budgets each year.
While new donors can create individual endowments with commitments of at least $50,000, two funds already exist that can accept new gifts and pledges in any amounts. The "Coach Dick Russell Varsity Aquatics Fund," has been established to serve as the primary endowment fund for new gifts and pledges supporting water polo and swimming and diving. It is subject to an agreement between Bucknell and water polo and swimming veteran Mark Gensheimer '81, as representative for a group of donors. New gifts and pledges may also be designated directly to the Russell Endowment, which supports water polo and operates under a separate agreement with Dan and Chris Richards.
Endowment pledges or gifts supporting varsity water polo or swimming and diving at Bucknell may be made by mail or online. Whether qualifying to claim early payments from the Richards' matching challenge or not, any gift will build support for varsity aquatics. Click HERE for a form that you may download, print and return to ensure your gift or pledge is credited properly and qualifies to claim matching payments from Dan and Chris Richards. You can send checks payable to Bucknell for either the "Coach Dick Russell Varsity Aquatics Fund" or the "Russell Endowment," addressed to: Gift Records, Development and Alumni Relations, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837.
Online gifts may be made through the following link: http://www.bucknell.edu/script/gifts/. Enter the amount of the one-time, monthly or annual payment you intend to make, and under "Fund," choose "Other," and under "Designation," type in either the "Coach Dick Russell Varsity Aquatics Fund" or the "Russell Endowment." Follow the remaining online instructions to complete your gift.
If you have questions, please contact: Mark Elliott (elliott@bucknell.edu, or 570-577-3200).
