March 15, 2006
Normal, Ill. -
Aaron Leetch believes in the time-honored adage that "charity begins at home." But the associate athletics director for development at Illinois State wasn't prepared for that "home-based charity" to happen so fast.
Less than a week after the internal phase of the 2006 TRC Annual Fund Campaign began, all 110 full-time coaches, staff members and administrators became contributing members to The Redbird Club--most for the first time. In all, their contributions will bring $20,000 in new money to the campaign, which officially begins its external phase Saturday.
"I am stunned," said Leetch, who had conducted similarly-successful campaigns previously for the athletics programs at Baylor and Arkansas State. "To achieve a 100 percent commitment from everyone in the department in one week is overwhelming."
Leetch believes the outcome sends an important message about the 2006 TRC Annual Fund Campaign.
"It's easy to say that it's a given that people will contribute to something that improves where they work," said Leetch. "But the fact is that most athletics departments--and other places which depend on donations--don't have 100 percent participation.
"Now, we can say we have that in Illinois State athletics. Now, as we go out into the community and around the state asking other people to climb on board with the campaign, that makes a statement of how much our people believe in what we're doing to support the more than 350 student-athletes in 19 sports at Illinois State."
When Leetch developed a strategy to try and achieve 100 percent internal membership in The Redbird Club, he was confident that he could play on the competitive juices which flow through the people who work in athletics.
"It's natural," said Leetch. "Everyone in athletics wants to be competitive and win. The enthusiasm was amazing."
He created two competing teams, led by successful, veteran Redbird head coaches Melinda Fischer of softball and Chris Hoover of women's tennis. Fischer's co-captain was her long-time friend and colleague, Assistant Athletics Director for Academics and Life Skills Jane Fulton. Redbird marketing director Brad Ledford was Hoover's co-captain.
Fischer enjoyed the campaign.
"Jane and I had a lot of fun with the competitive aspects of it," said Fischer, whose 653 softball victories are No. 2 for all sports in Redbird history. "People believe we are heading in the right direction as an athletics program and they are giving because they want to be part of that process ... not because they have to. It was a great experience."
To Hoover, the campaign was about people believing in Illinois State's future with the new leadership approach of Dr. Sheahon Zenger, director of athletics.
"I think everybody is excited about where this program is going," said Hoover. "People were excited to be asked to help. A lot of it relates to our new leadership. They are excited and motivated. It's easy to follow people like that."
