DOLLARS FOR DINGERS!!!!!
OK, Hokie softball fans. Two years ago it was Poppin’ It and we raised over $21,000 for the softball program. Last year,it was Ten for the Win and we raised $65,000 for the program. I now present you Dollars for Dingers, inspired by those BOOMing Beauties from Virginia Tech that are leading the nation in home runs.
As often has been the case, TWHokie has been the inspiration for this latest challenge. When he proposed our Ten for the Win Challenge – The Sequel, one of his personal metrics was pledging $10 per home run. Well at the moment, he’s happily on the hook for $270.
I have watched the Hokies practice a number of times and have watched Coach Pete challenge the ladies to hit 100 HRs in an hour and they often pull it off. Looks like practice must make perfect since we have now seen balls off Hokie bats fly out of Wilmington, Clearwater, and Texas the past three weeks. So let’s have some fun with this.
I am going to join TWHokie in his challenge and also pledging $10 per dinger. And I’m making my retroactive although you don’t have to do so. AND…..we have a very generous donor who I spoke with last night that is going to match the dollars up to $25,000. He is so confident in the TSL family that he just mailed me a check for $10,000 as the first payment (he said that he “knows that TSL readers will step up and jump in”).
So jump in, folks. ANY AMOUNT WORKS!!! $1 per Dinfer. $2 per dinger, $5 per dinger...It all adds up. We already have $40 per “BOOM.” Let’s see what we can do!!!
Either respond to the thread or send me a note at [email protected].
We’ll collect the dollars at the end of the season unless anyone wants to pay as you go. And if you want to send a one-time donation, that’s appreciated as well.
Our usual method of handling these fun drives is for you to write your check to "Virginia Tech Athletic Fund - Softball" and send it to me at
Chip Grubb
8155 Bent Mountain Road
Roanoke, VA 24018
I then gather all the checks together, create an easy spreadsheet for the Hokie Club to follow and then Coach Pete hand delivers them to the Hokie Club to insure that the softball program gets credit for the dollars.
It's a bit clunky and requires some extra work, but that way we KNOW it gets to the right place.
Thanks for your support!!! The ladies and the coaches sincerely appreciate it.
Let’s Go Hokies!!!!
16 Replies
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nkhooch
3y
like we do for Hokie Club or is that completely separate?
(In response to this post by VTChip)
3y
No difference than making a gift directly to the Hokie Club.
Regardless of the method, however, any gift designated to a specific sport only counts in the cumulative giving bucket not the minimum giving dollars required for the Hokie Scholarship Fund giving (i.e., seat minimums)
(In response to this post by nkhooch)
3y
or are the dollars donated simply simply subtracted from what the program would have gotten from the general athletic fund as part of the general budget? Sorry if this has been answered before. I’m tired, and it’s late.
(In response to this post by VTChip)
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saret
3y
(In response to this post by Federal Hokie)
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nkhooch
3y
(In response to this post by Federal Hokie)
3y
Coach D'Amour knows his budget.
By literally giving these dollars directly to him, he knows exactly what we have raised and therefore what extra dollars have come into his program.
There's no way for anyone to do creative accounting and redistribute these dollars.
(In response to this post by Federal Hokie)
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saret
3y
several conversations with HC personnel, when they asked me to give my softball donations to them directly vice going through Chip. When they asked me why, I replied "Because I trust Chip, I don't trust ya'll."
(In response to this post by VTChip)
3y
"Because I trust Chip and I don't trust you!". But seriously, this was a great question posed by Federal Hokie and one whose answer cannot be repeated enough for others to see ie giving through Chip GUARANTEES that there are no shenanigans with funds donated to the Dollars for Dingers campaign that one could not rule out if those funds went directly to the Hokie Club. I am not accusing the HC of any wrongdoing but I don't see ANY downside to funneling the funds through Chip and Coach Pete first (other than Chip has to play bookkeeper/accountant and courier!).
(In response to this post by saret)
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saret
3y
was that I find the HC method of handling "targeted" donations analogous to the United Way. Once a donation given directly to the HC goes in the "Big Pot," a donor has no real assurance that the donation was in addition to the budgeted amount. Going via Chip and Coach Pete, I know my donation is in addition to the amount budgeted by the AthDept. Again, for me at least, it is a matter of trust. For years, I would get donation figures from the HC, and then from UA. And, they never agreed. Yet, the HC falls under UA.
And, a shout out to @Federal Hokie for the post, and you for spotlighting it. I'm sticking with VTChip.
(In response to this post by gelded turkey)
3y
Everyone who plans on contributing to softball needs to read this thread. Thank God, when it comes to donating to softball, we have an option BESIDES going directly to the Hokie Club. Thanks Chip!
(In response to this post by saret)
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saret
3y
(In response to this post by gelded turkey)
3y
Great name Chip and TWHokie and thanks to the both of you for taking the time to spearhead this - count me in! As Chip (and TW) have proven in the last two years, there is a TON of power and generosity in this TSL community waiting to be harvested. All it takes is somebody with the personality, willingness, and fortitude to lead the charge...and we are very fortunate to have such person in our ranks! The trend is up with the $ being pledged/raised over the last two years - let's keep the trend going in year three!! The future of Hokie softball is burning brightly - I encourage all of you to do whatever you can do to help support this program to allow the momentum to continue. For those who do choose to contribute, I highly encourage you to do it through Chip (vs going directly through the Hokie Club). I still say there is something "extra powerful" about Chip handing over a bunch of checks to Coach Pete! Plus, as Chip points out, this ensures that Coach Pete knows first hand what EXTRA money his program has received so he can make sure all is on the "up and up" with funding/budgeting for his program. Thanks again Chip for agreeing to be the "middle man" when it comes to collecting funds!
(In response to this post by VTChip)
3y
(In response to this post by VTChip)
3y
You are one of the most loyal givers. I can always count on your first of the month check.
You're the best!!!!
(In response to this post by william floyd)