#TaborTime to Connect, Serve, Lead, and Give

“#TaborTime is our day to give back to Tabor for everything it’s given us,” cheered Ellie Martone ’24, as Tabor’s annual giving campaign kicked off at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Over two days, the entire Tabor community—students, alumni, families, faculty, staff, and friends—came together in support of the school. This year’s theme, an homage to Tabor’s mission, was “Time to connect. Time to Serve. Time to lead. Time to give.”

Time to Connect.

On March 27 and 28, members of the Tabor community used #TaborTime as an opportunity to reminisce on their own Tabor experience.

Olivia Finocchiaro ’18 encouraged her classmates to give by posting on LinkedIn, “Attending my five-year reunion and Women's Hockey Alumni Game at Tabor Academy this past year reminded me how many lifelong memories were made living at the beautiful School by the Sea for 3 years!”

Like Finocchiaro, Colleen Coyne ’89 also took to LinkedIn to express her gratitude for attending Tabor. She admits, “It was one of those things that I never saw coming. ‘Prep’ school wasn't something that was on my radar as I was growing up in East Falmouth, MA. But for the thoughtfulness of an amazing family from our town, I never would have known about this amazing place…It is efforts like this that make attending a school like Tabor possible for a kid like me.”

Some alumni even made connections between their Tabor experience and their career today, including Lizzie Bodkin Bagley ’94. On Facebook, she writes, “I give because Tabor is a part of my story, and it helped make me the person I am today. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to be a part of such a great community. Being a Boston Public School teacher for the past 22 years has made me really appreciate my Tabor education. I want to help the next generation to be able to enjoy and experience our amazing School by the Sea! #TaborLove.”

In addition to connecting with the community on social media, #TaborTime allowed for students to make connections on campus. As they walked around campus, Seawolves reflected on the parts of their own experience that have been made possible through philanthropic efforts.

Time to Serve.

#TaborTime would not be possible without the efforts of our volunteers, such as parent volunteers, class representatives, the Student Advancement team, and the Faculty/Staff #TaborTime Committee.

Some of these efforts took place on-campus, some included one-to-one outreach over the phone and via email, and some on social media. A class representative for the Class of 1984, Thomas Mottur shared his reasons for giving to rally his classmates and other community members. “People ask why we give? For me, it was a great experience that helped me grow in an environment with supportive teachers and prepared me for the twists and turns my life would take. On top of that, Tabor provided an amazing opportunity for [my son] Andrew ’21...For both of us, we were able to build lifelong friendships which are more valuable than can be measured or paid back through a financial gift—though our gifts might help others in the future have a similar experience.”

Inspired by her current and past students, as well as her colleagues, Director of Co-Curriculars and Athletics Kelly Walker also shared her reason for giving to encourage donors. In addition to the community, she adds, “I gave because of the student-athletes that I have had the good fortune to coach over the past 37 years. I gave because people like Travis Roy ’95 inspire me to help create a community of belonging.”

Time to Lead.

Our most recent classes of graduates are already showing up on the leaderboard; the Class of 2023 brought in the third-largest percentage of alumni donors, just behind the Classes of 1984, 2006, and 1979. (The Classes of 2006 and 1979 were tied for second, see more donor stats in the graphic below.)

Tabor’s faculty and staff are leaders every day on campus, serving as role models for our students and embodying Tabor’s values of courage, care, collaboration, and curiosity. This #TaborTime, 174 faculty and staff members donated—a #TaborTime record—making up the third highest donor affiliation on the leaderboard and accounting for 13% of all donors. 

In a note to the faculty and staff, Head of School Tony Jaccaci expresses, “I am particularly grateful to you—the faculty and staff—for your participation…To show your commitment to Tabor through a gift, on top of the daily efforts you put in for our community, is inspiring to me.  Not just me though.  Your generosity also inspires others.  When our many community members see our faculty and staff giving, it helps them understand what a strong and committed community they belong to and helps them see their place in this engagement.”

Time to Give.

#TaborTime is an opportunity to highlight the importance and impact of philanthropy, which is why this year we focused on participation and chose 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. Our original data showed that 1,422 donors engaged. After reconciliation—a final tally of all gifts made online, via checks, and other avenues—the total number of #TaborTime donors came to 1,427. In addition to surpassing the record for number of donors, $500,863 was raised for the Fund for Tabor.

“During Tabor’s annual Day of Giving, it is incredible to see how the community, from near and far, comes together to support current and future Seawolves,” continues Abby Magni, Director of the Fund for Tabor. “We are grateful for the efforts of our volunteers, campus partners, and donors for making #TaborTime such a success, thank you for showing up for Tabor!”

Donors from all over the world—14 countries and 42 states—directed their gifts to a variety of important priorities on campus, including academics; athletics; financial aid; and diversity, equity, and belonging. Every single gift, no matter the size, made an immediate impression on the student experience at Tabor.

Time for an Encore.

As the clock ticked towards 3:16 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 28, giving efforts were still going strong. To ride the wave of momentum, the deadline to give was extended to 5:44 p.m. ET, marking 2,024 minutes since the campaign’s kickoff. Doing so resulted in unlocking an additional $25,000 to the Fund for Tabor as the milestone for record number of donors was met.

Reflecting on the efforts of the Tabor community Director of Advancement Stephen Ginter exclaims, "What an incredible 2,024 minutes. Seawolves truly showed up in a big way, showing support for Tabor and our mission. Thank you to all members of our community who made this possible!"

Over these two days of giving, donors exemplified Tabor’s mission—connecting, serving, and leading to support a stronger School by the Sea. By spreading the word, rallying classmates, and raising resources for the Fund for Tabor, they paved the foundation for future donors and contributed to the school’s vision of being a homeport and launching point for a globally connected education where students and educators build knowledge; identify opportunities; and explore innovative, ethical solutions to complex local and global challenges.

It's not too late to support Tabor! Even if you missed the Day of Giving, you can still be a donor.