Blackbaud employees contribute $25,000 to 2007 Good Cheer Fund

The largest gift to the Good Cheer Fund so far this Christmas season has been given by the employees of Blackbaud. Their contribution of $25,000 represents donations from individual employees and a company match.

This year marks the 16th anniversary of Blackbaud's generosity to the Good Cheer Fund, a tradition that was the inspiration of Tony Bakker, founder of Blackbaud. Since 1992, the company and its employees have donated a total of $395,241 to the Good Cheer Fund in order to help the less fortunate of the tri-county area.

Blackbaud supplies software and support services for nonprofit organizations, and it is the daily interaction with nonprofit organizations and the challenges they face that has made Blackbaud employees feel a special commitment to giving back to the community during the holidays and throughout the rest of the year.

"Working with nonprofit organizations, as we do, we're painfully aware of how difficult the holidays are for those lacking food, shelter, heat, or the means to celebrate the season," said Mark Chardon, Blackbaud's president and CEO. "We hope this donation helps the six recipient organizations to provide some of these services.

"I've found that what's so wonderful about Blackbaud is that their commitment goes well beyond 'doing the job.' They also have a strong commitment to each other, to our community, and to helping those in need."

In addition to Blackbaud's generous contribution, this year the Daniel Island Company gave a generous donation to the Good Cheer Fund in the amount of $10,000 through their Employee Advised Fund, an employee charitable contribution program funded through payroll deductions. The Daniel Island Company matches employee contributions dollar for dollar, and an employee advisory committee guides decisions on contributions through the year.

The Post and Courier Good Cheer Fund was established in 1927 to help needy people during the Christmas season. The Salvation Army, Star Gospel Mission, Catholic Charities, Association for the Blind, Carolina Youth Development Center and Lowcountry Food Bank receive every cent of each donation to the Good Cheer Fund. There are no overhead or administrative costs involved, nor are funds distributed to any individual or organization outside the five Good Cheer Fund agencies.

It is not too late to make a donation to the Good Cheer Fund. On Dec. 31, the final total for the 2007 Good Cheer Fund will be published, as well as all donations that have been received since Dec. 21.

Send your tax-deductible contribution today to the Good Cheer Fund, c/o The Post and Courier, 134 Columbus St., Charleston, SC 29403 4800.

Contributions

The employees of Blackbaud and Blackbaud, Inc $25,000.00

In honor of Tucker, Hannah, Max, and Mariellen 100.00

In honor of Emily "Miss Em" Whipple 100.00

In honor of our grandmothers, Nancy Hawk and Sara Wilson, with love from Anna, Charles, Nancy and Sara 100.00

Lowcountry Seminoles 100.00

Judith Knight 100.00

In honor of Tom, Dave, Cynthia, Collen, and Doug 100.00

In honor of Dr. Chadwick, Dr. M. Davis, Dr. R. Pillai, and Dr. S. Stafford, from S.K. 100.00

Employees and customers of Ye Old Fashioned Cafe and Ice Cream 100.00

Margarita Allston 50.00

David Mellard, Jr. 50.00

George Mikus 150.00

Jack Mikus 50.00

Chris and Murry Thompson 100.00

DDS 200.00

Karin Welcher 25.00

Charleston's Rigging and their employees 580.00

The office staff and drivers of Yellow Cab Company of Charleston 665.00

Allied Asset Management, Inc. 50.00

Roger White and Deanna Jackson 100.00

In honor of our children and their families, from Sam and Sandra Hughes 200.00

L. Mendel Rivers Library - Charleston Southern University 55.00

William and Linda Sanders 25.00

In honor of Robert M. Stenstrom, from employees of Stenstrom & Associates, Inc. 250.00

In honor of Alston S. Gaillard, Clay W. Hershey, Jr., and Thomas G. Hershey 100.00

In loving appreciation for our daughters, sons-in-law, and especially for Bud and the Princess 25.00

In honor of the fans, staff, and players of the Charleston Battery 5,000.00

In honor of the customers and staff of McCrady's 5,000.00

In honor of the guests and staff of the Hampton Inn, Daniel Island 5,000.00

In honor of the customers and staff of Queen Anne's Revenge Restaurant 5,000.00

Anonymous

5 contributions totaling 760.00

In lieu of cards

Martha and Joe Moran (local) 30.00

Larry and Edith Montano (local) 50.00

Scott and Barbara Ferson 50.00

Mark and Kellie Burnup 50.00

Henrietta and Palmer Gaillard 50.00

Tony and Linda Bakker 1,000.00

In memory of

D.M. and Doris M. Thomas and William L. Treat 30.00

Thomas P. Lesesne, III 50.00

Frederick J. Felder, Jr., Sarah Lawrence Norton Wooten, Katherine Morrison Dupre, Myrtle Smith Campsen, and Gavin Lee Jones 100.00

Our dear grandfathers, John Hawk and Roger Wilson, with love from Anna, Charles, Nancy, and Sara 100.00

Henry Weeks Trimble, Jr. 100.00

Henry W. Beardsley 100.00

Emily Whaley 100.00

Grant D. Whipple 100.00

Steve Dixon 50.00

Simms Farr 50.00

Our mom and dad - Norris M. Thomas and Carolyn A. Thomas 100.00

Louis E. Storen, Sr. and Michael F. Storen 75.00

Mama and Papa, Jimmy Lloyd, and Joyce Morelli, love from Doris Lloyd 20.00

Barrett Fulmer 30.00

Matthew E. Murphy, III 25.00

Those who gave their lives for our country, from Grady, Marilyn, and David Hendrix 100.00

Alice Logan Wright and George Christian Logan Wright 500.00

Happy 26th Birthday Charley, love Mom and Reilly 50.00

My parents, Allen and Mary Driggers 100.00

Jan Akers, from Sue King, Peter Kalivas and family 300.00

Catherine and John Buchanan, from Johanna Tuleikis 250.00

Our dads, Marshall J. Young and Hammond (Hambone) Hill 100.00

Our fathers, Alec Heath and George Cracraft and our best man, Tommy Meteraud 75.00

Johnnie and Evelyn Cockfield 50.00

Our parents, Ben and Lola Hill & Charles and Helen Wallace, from Ron and Joan Reeves 100.00

Doc and Danise Parker and Carol Jean Herrmann 165.00

Edward M. Walker, Alicia W. Rudolf, and Emmy W. McIntire 100.00

My friend, Philip Hanvey, from Mrs. Harriette O'Neill Hanvey 100.00

Reverend Francis A. Friend, from Mrs. Harritete O'Neill Hanvey 100.00

Hank, Winifred, and Jerome, from the Witt family 15.00

Frank P. Rhett, Sr. and Frank P. Rhett, Jr. 100.00

Edward G. and Jennie L. Gibson 100.00

Gonzales S. Waddy 100.00

My dad, R.N. Nodine, by Cheryl N. and Bill Munnerlyn 25.00

Ronald Davis, from Charles, Jon, and Tula 100.00

My beloved husband, John (Jack), who passed away 6/25/07 25.00

Opa - we miss you, love Alex and Matthew 25.00

Danny Iseman 50.00

Thomas and Geneva Jefferson 200.00

Jervey R. Craver, Sr., Edward Michael Jones, and Jack A. Strickland, III, from J&J; 30.00

Kim and Nancy Gray 50.00

Bill's sister, Mary E. 25.00

Jim Rigney 25.00

Our parents, James and Mary Kenney & Paul and Helen Sullivan, from James and Danielle Sullivan Kenney 200.00

Harry Burnup & Charles and Bess Copeland, from Mark and Kellie Burnup 75.00

Lucy F. Gaillard, J. Palmer Gaillard, Jr., Emmie T. Freeman, John M. Freeman, and William T. Tamsberg 100.00

Our loving parents, Roy and Virginia Burbage & Robbie and Cathryne McKay and good friend, Becky Carpenter 25.00

TODAY'S TOTAL $54,855.00

PREVIOUS TOTAL $174,681.40

YEAR TO DATE $229,536.40

LAST YEAR TO DATE $321,291.29