Real-life examples of donors Sue Davison has cultivated in her career.
BILL'S LEGACY
He was an elderly, unkempt bachelor with a trust fund and an uncanny musical ability. Though he had served on the board of the Springfield Symphony for a long time, no one had bothered to get to know him – and no one believed him when he reiterated his intention to leave the Symphony one-third of his estate. But as Sue and Bill began their monthly lunch visits, often featuring Bill’s impromptu piano performances, it became evident that his passion for music and his love for his hometown orchestra were very real. And his legacy gift would also prove to be real – $3.2 million, the largest gift ever received in the Symphony’s 55-year history. Bill’s legacy ensured the future of his beloved orchestra.
RACHEL'S GIFT
She was a beautiful young businesswoman who had stepped into leadership roles both in her family company and in Hartford Stage’s newly formed young professionals group. She was a successful entrepreneur and a dedicated volunteer. So when Sue asked her to lunch to talk about her family’s gift to the theatre’s capital campaign, Rachel agreed, though she already had an amount in mind. Somehow, in the course of that lunch, she found herself pledging $100,000, a gift that was 10 times what she had planned to make – and she felt great about it! Rachel’s gift set an example for other young professionals who wanted to make their mark in the arts.