Whale of a Good #TaborTime

Tabor Academy’s Day of Giving, #TaborTime, has become an important tradition to support the school. It is also an opportunity to highlight the importance and impact of philanthropy. This year, the School by the Sea focused on participation, with an ambitious goal of 1876 donors in 1876 minutes—the year Tabor was founded. Although the goal was not met, Seawolves showed up to make #TaborTime history. On March 28 and 29, 2023, 1,414 members of the Tabor community donated, surpassing the previous record of 1,228 donors.

“As we looked towards an 1876 donor goal this year, we knew engaging students was going to play a key role in our efforts to make #TaborTime a success. Educating our current students about philanthropy prepares them to support future Seawolves with their own incredible Tabor experience,” says Abby Magni, Director of the Fund for Tabor.

Months before the #TaborTime clock started, the Advancement team worked hard to educate students on the significance of supporting their future alma mater annually. They met with each class, presented at All School Meetings, engaged a group of student volunteers, and made #TaborTime visible across campus in hopes that students would join in with a gift of any size during the Day of Giving. According to Magni, student engagement efforts were successful, and the excitement and energy could be felt across campus. A total of 253 students contributed to the Fund, and the Class of 2023 led the way with 89 donors representing their class.

“Our student giving this year was phenomenal. For me, it showed a deep level of gratitude,” reflects Head of School Tony Jaccaci. “[Associate Head of School for External Affairs] Rachael Beare likes to quote a saying ‘We warm ourselves by the fires that others built before us,’ and I believe this type of giving teaches students the importance of giving back to their alma mater and paying forward the benefit of a Tabor education.”

The unprecedented level of student participation inspired alumni, faculty, staff, families, and friends to engage in #TaborTime. Alumni called on former classmates to donate, sparking friendly competition among class years to see who could come out on top. By the final minute of the challenge, 3:26 p.m., the Class of 1984 was first on the leaderboard. Faculty and staff encouraged school spirit by spreading the word among peers, resulting in a record 165 donors.

In a note to faculty and staff, Jaccaci remarks, “My sincere thanks to the many of you who participated in #TaborTime. You all, from sunrise to sunset (and beyond), give so much daily to our students and our community. To have you further show your support of Tabor by contributing really makes a huge difference and inspires our students, families, and many others to support as well.”

The generous donors who showed up for #TaborTime enthusiastically directed their gifts to a variety of important priorities on campus, including diversity, equity, and belonging; arts; athletics; and financial aid. Every single gift, no matter the size, made an immediate impression on the student experience at Tabor.

“We are so appreciative to all members of our community who showed up in such a meaningful way. Your participation will have a great impact on every student at Tabor as these gifts will help support all aspects of their experience here,” says Stephen Ginter, Director of Advancement.

#TaborTime occurred just a week after the opening of the Travis Roy Campus Center. It is a fitting tribute that the number of this year’s donors, 1,414, reflects the jersey number, 14, that Travis Roy ’95 wore at Tabor.