Lexington, KY - In times of crisis, there are those who take decisive action. Their actions become a catalytic force - rippling far beyond their origins. In our community, we have two recent examples of this phenomenon.
As the world watched images of suffering Haitians amid the vast wreckage of an already desperately poor country, there were those among us who did more.
Royce Pulliam is one of those individuals. The CEO of Lexington-based Global Fitness Holdings and its Urban Active clubs was brought to tears by what he saw on television. He had worked hard, done well in life, and could simply write out a big check and mail it off. Interestingly, he didn't stop at that, as most of us might do.
There are few in the commonwealth who are not familiar with the wildly successful Hoops For Haiti initiative last month. A telethon, Ebay auction, T-shirt sales and spinoff events have raised an astounding $1.2 million (and still counting) for relief efforts in Haiti. The Big Blue Nation - Kentucky - gave more to Haitian relief than the entire nations of China and India, which initially pledged $1 million each, according to the Associated Press. Wildcat fans gave half as much as Germany's pledge of $2.17 million. Japan sent $5 million. Britain, $10 million. The Swedes sent $850,000 and supplies.
The Kentucky effort spurred a personal phone call from President Obama to University of Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari and his team members in January, recognizing the selfless and generous nature of the initiative.
But before the appreciative call from the nation's president, Calipari recounted another phone call he received - from Pulliam at 7:30 a.m. the morning after the quake.
"Royce said this was terrible, and he asked me what about the coaches coming together," Calipari said.
Calipari called Wayne Martin, general manager at WKYT-TV, to discuss Pulliam's impassioned request.
"I always say that fate intervenes in your life," Calipari mused. "When I called Wayne, he replied that United Way and Red Cross were already talking to him about a telethon and suggested doing one on Friday. I said, 'No, let's do one this Sunday.'"
From Pulliam's Friday morning phone call to Sunday's telethon, there was a tremendous effort by many to get this done, including the local American Red Cross, United Way of the Bluegrass, WKYT staff and UK Athletics. Martin noted that Calipari was at the station from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. nonstop. The players were also there for hours, answering calls and thanking donors. More than 6,000 calls came through for the telethon; 55,000 calls didn't make it through due to jammed lines.
Martin commented: "This was remarkable in the telethons we have done, in that so much money was raised in so short of a time with none of the usual pre-planning."
He emphasized the impact of the work of Calipari, the players and other telethon volunteers.
"What is unique about this is that their hearts were in this, not just their names. This was different," Martin said.
Calipari agreed.
"It was great for the players to see how their fame can be used to bring people together," he said. "What was really important to me is how for so many young people it was the first time they had given. And how people gave even when they had little to give. Eight thousand T-shirts at $10 each have been sold."
As Pulliam put it, "The stars were aligned. The people of Kentucky opened their hearts. This was lightning in a bottle. Everyone wanted to do something."
Debra Hensley, like Pulliam, also couldn't sleep the night of the quake. The horrific images raced through her head. What could she do?
Hensley learned long ago that in fundraising you "work with what you have." The next morning, she sent out an urgent e-mail to friends and clients and posted her message on Facebook. Hensley, a State Farm insurance agency owner, was able to build upon her popular Social Stimulus effort, which brings creative types together in Lexington to rally around various causes. She issued a challenge with an initial matching gift of $1,000. The word spread quickly.
When he saw her posting, Rob Morris, president of Lowell's Automotive, reacted immediately. Morris e-mailed Hensley and offered another match. Morris commented that he was struck by Hensley's idea of leverage and the viral capability of this effort. While he grew up in a charitable family, he said, "This was the first time I really stepped up to take a more visible role, as I have always kept my giving private. But this encourages others to act."
Hensley and Morris e-mailed, blogged, Twittered and Facebooked. They also hosted a steady stream of visitors coming by their respective businesses to drop off money. Howard Stovall of Signs Now donated a large banner for the front of Hensley's Nicholasville Road business. Hensley even had $5 handed to her by a cashier when she was checking out at a grocery.
When asked how all this has affected them personally, Hensley stressed, "It gives you complete confidence in humanity. It is very humbling to know how people trusted us with their donations." Morris added, "This crisis shows how much we have in comparison to so many others." Over $13,000 was raised through the social media-based grass roots effort.
Margaret Mead's famous quote captures the action taken in Lexington last month. "Never doubt that a small group of committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
CATalytic giving is alive and well in the Bluegrass. Let's keep it going.
Anne E. Nash is a Lexington attorney and owner of My Giving Advisor, LLC, a philanthropic advising firm. Contact her at 859-806-6231 or at www.mygivingadvisor.com.