Murray State University’s Nonprofit Resource Center is hosting its inaugural Philanthropy Week next week to celebrate local nonprofits.
The week of programming is billed as a “celebration of giving” in the Murray-Calloway County region. The week will feature virtual events designed to engage community members with the nonprofit sector.
Murray State Nonprofit Leadership Studies Instructor Mike Gowen is the coordinator of the series. He said Philanthropy Week is an opportunity for the university to educate the community on service opportunities in the region.
“We felt it was time to celebrate all the philanthropy that goes on in this community, that it was part of our role as a program to recognize the entities in the community that help us be successful,” Gowen said.
Gowen said Philanthropy Week was originally scheduled for the spring of 2020, but the onset of the coronavirus pandemic forced program leaders to cancel. He said his team felt the event was important enough to host a scaled-down, virtual iteration before expanding to in-person offerings next year.
Philanthropy Week kicks off Monday, April 19 with a conversation on giving and community between Calloway County Judge/Executive Kenny Imes and Murray Mayor Bob Rogers. WKMS Station Manager Chad Lampe will moderate the discussion. Additional sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday will tackle various issues concerning the nonprofit sector including the role of community foundations, and a keynote address by American Heart Association Executive Vice President Tanya Edwards. The week will conclude Friday with the presentation of the first annual Donna Herndon Award for Civic Engagement.
Find more information, including virtual links to all Philanthropy Week programs, here.
Disclaimer: Mike Gowen is a volunteer host for WKMS.
