The Williamsonian Fall 2012 | Page 22

Hafer ’65 Inducted into Athletic Hall of Fame 22 The family of the late John Carl Hafer 6W5 were on hand at the Sports Banquet to hear his induction into the Hall of Fame and to accept his award. Matching Gifts Maximize Donation ROI With today’s banking interest rates barely more than 1 percent, the opportunity to double your money does not come along very often! In fact, there are few investments today that can guarantee a positive return on your investment. That is what makes the opportunity of Corporate Matching Gifts so appealing to the savvy donor. Did you know your gift to Williamson could possibly be doubled or even tripled through a matching gift from your employer? Many companies offer programs in which they match the donations and/or volunteer hours of employees, retirees, and even spouses to nonprofit organizations and schools like Williamson. In short, your gift of $100 to Williamson is worth $200 after your employer sends $100 to match it! Last year, nearly 195 gifts to Williamson were eligible to be matched for a total exceeding $160,000! Getting your donation matched is simple. First, the employee must contact his or her personnel office to obtain a matching gift form. This form must be filled out by the donor and forwarded to Williamson with the contribution. Many companies like PSEG, Exelon, and Aetna now provide the opportunity to record eligible gifts on their Web site. The School, then, verifies the donation with the company which, in turn, forwards the match to Williamson. You can find out if your (or your spouse’s) company matches gifts through Williamson’s Matching Gift Finder (www.matchinggifts.com/williamson/). This interactive Web feature can also be found in the “Ways to Give” section of Williamson’s Web site (www.williamson.edu). The service provides instant, up-to-date information on nearly 17,000 companies and subsidiaries that match gifts to nonprofit organizations. Donors can simply key in their employer name. Instantly, they are told if their gift can be matched. If they are match eligible, their company’s match policy information will be listed, including minimum/maximum gift eligibility, gift ratio, procedure for getting the gift matched, and any special comments. For more information on Matching Gifts to Williamson or for questions, please contact Sarah Gaspero, development services coordinator, at 610-5661776 or [email protected]. John Carl Hafer 6W5 was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame at the 46th annual Sports Banquet in May. Dale Plummer, athletic director, said “If ever someone was deserving of induction, it’s Carl. He truly excelled at everything he did. Carl was truly one of the greatest athletes in school history.” During Hafer’s time at Williamson, only four varsity sports were offered: cross country, football, basketball, and baseball. Hafer not only participated in all four each of his three years at school, but excelled in all of them! Plummer said statistics were nonexistent in that era, but by every eyewitness and written account, earning 12 varsity letters at the level of excellence he did is something Williamson has not seen before or since. While most inductions are a time of celebration, Carl Hafer’s was bittersweet. Sadly, on April 3, shortly after learning he was to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, he died of a massive heart attack. “We were stunned to hear the news. I have not dealt with a more humble and gracious man. The honor meant so much to him and he was incredibly humbled by it.” Members of Hafer’s family made a 2-hour drive to accept the award posthumously on Hafer’s behalf. Those attending were his wife Joann, son Lance and his companion, his brother Ted 6W7, who nominated him for the honor, and Ted’s wife Bernadette as well as his father, John Carl Hafer Sr. Carl Hafer’s wife Joann and son Lance accepted the award in memory of Carl. “We are so thankful for the family’s willingness to attend the event. It certainly made the evening even more special. Carl Hafer was a great man and his accomplishments both on and off the field will never be forgotten,” closed Plummer. News From The Ladies Auxiliary Amish Quilt Being Raffled Raffle tickets are being sold for a beautiful queen-size quilt handmade by Amish women. Tickets are six for $5.00. The drawing will be Alumni Day, June 1, 2013. You need not be present for the drawing. To purchase tickets, contact Eileen Altman (610667-3253, [email protected])). Cookbooks For Sale The Ladies Auxiliary’s cookbook is still available. Each book is $10 plus $3.50 for shipping and handling. Books can be purchased at the school or by mailing a check (made payable to “Williamson’s Ladies Auxiliary) to: The