Hampton Roads Fundraising Organization Honors Outstanding Philanthropists in Our Community

Gail Perry, MBA, CFRE was the keynote speaker for the AFP Hampton Roads National Philanthropy Day luncheon.

It was a day of celebrating all things good as nearly 650 people gathered at The Main in Norfolk to celebrate the power of philanthropy in Hampton Roads. For the past 12 years, the Association of Fundraising Professionals Hampton Roads Chapter has honored leaders in philanthropy in our community at its annual National Philanthropy Day luncheon. National Philanthropy Day, which was first held in 1986, celebrates the extraordinary contributions of organizations and individuals around the world.

This year’s honorees were:

• Andrew S. Fine and Morris H. Fine, Outstanding Philanthropists
• W. Taylor Franklin, Outstanding Emerging Philanthropist
• William W. King, Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser
• Kenda Goldberg Council, Outstanding Fundraising Professional
• We Promise Foundation, Outstanding Foundation/Corporation
• Association of American Physicians of Indian Origin - HR, Outstanding Community Organization

The Hampton Roads Community Foundation was pleased to sponsor keynote speaker, Gail Perry, MBA, CFRE, president of Fired Up Fundraising. Gail is a well-known international fundraising consultant, trainer and philanthropy leader from North Carolina. She has helped organizations raise millions of dollars in gifts in her more than 30 years as a nonprofit philanthropy expert. Gail shared three mottos for successful fundraising:

1. Spread the word about your cause like a virus.
2. Be cheerfully aggressive.
3. When in doubt, throw a party (not a fundraising event).

Barbara Ciara from WTKR News Channel 3 emceed the event. The nearly 650 individuals in attendance was the largest gathering for National Philanthropy Day in Hampton Roads to date.