Go Big Give drive sets new record

Donations up by nearly $200,000

  • Edgerton Explorit Center personnel hosted its Go Big Give Eagles and Birdies event April 30, leading up to last week's main event. Pictured here, a group listens to facts about Altair from Deb Miller. This event marked the first time Altair was introduced to large groups, up to 28 people.
    Edgerton Explorit Center personnel hosted its Go Big Give Eagles and Birdies event April 30, leading up to last week's main event. Pictured here, a group listens to facts about Altair from Deb Miller. This event marked the first time Altair was introduced to large groups, up to 28 people.

    The Edgerton Explorit Center was fifth among all organizations participating in the 10th annual Go Big Give event to raise money for nonprofits in the four-county area. Edgerton brought in 120 donations worth $83,816 in this year’s record-breaking campaign which took place on Thursday.
    Giving this year was up considerably from last year’s grand total of $1.47 million. Overall, the campaign raised $1.65 million, which will be used to support 158 nonprofit organizations, 25 of which are located in Hamilton County. There were a total of  5,013 donations in the fundraiser co-hosted by the Greater Grand Island Community Foundation and the Heartland United Way.
    Other fundraising finalists among Hamilton County organizations included the Plainsman Museum & Hamilton County Historical Society, 11th, $27,820; Memorial Foundation Inc., 16th, $20,843; TeamMates of Aurora, 14th, $15,026; Giltner Public Schools Fund, 20th, $14,857; Aurora Adopt-a-Pet, 25th, $12,304 and Prairie Plains Resource Institute was 33rd with donations of $9,780.
    Generous sponsor support provided over $137,250 in match pool funds and incentive prizes this year. Lead sponsors were Hornady, Eihusen Foundation, Greater Grand Island Community Foundation, and Heartland United Way, along with the Bud & Gloria Wolbach Foundation, Lutz, and JBS.
    Go Big Give is a 24-hour online giving event that raises money for nonprofits in Hamilton, Hall, Howard and Merrick counties. It encouraged everyone to be a philanthropist by visiting GoBigGIVE.org and making a gift to multiple nonprofits. Donors also had the opportunity to support them all with a single gift.