Being a part of something from the ground up is challenging, confusing, thrilling and rewarding all at once.
Since early 2018 and with the support of our Chairman and CEO Matt Kaulig, I have been developing and molding Kaulig Giving. At the same time, my colleague Kim Decredico has been building Kaulig Media and stretching its footprint all over Northeast Ohio. There have been many times during the past year when our work has naturally intersected, but the first Friday of this month was different.
Months ago, the stand-out off-the-field Cleveland Indians team and I discussed and worked on different ways to partner together and collaborate in a charitable way. We settled on pursuing the idea of a Giveathon as a way to raise money for Cleveland Indians Charities and laid the groundwork for the event together. The collective experience, creativity and knowledge of the Kaulig Media team set up the occasion for further success.
When the evening arrived, it was filled with baseball, giving, kids, interviews, laughs, lights, joy and success! As donations big and small flooded in, I felt like a fundraiser again – motivated by a cause much bigger than myself and moved by each donation received.
As for Kaulig Giving, I think the Giveathon was our best collaboration internally and externally to date with nearly 800 donors participating and collectively raising nearly $180,000 for Cleveland Indians Charities.