Mark One Off of the Bucket List
I recently had the opportunity to mark another item off of my bucket list. After I went skydiving several years ago, I decided my next bucket item would be to go white-water rafting in my home state of West Virginia.
After delaying this idea, I decided to take my son and grandson on an adventure. Those that know me understand I am very passionate about my home state. In a sense, this bucket list item meant more than any other item to check off. As I was reviewing the rafting brochure, I was smiling when I learned of the actual location of the rafting trip. The location was the New River Gorge in southern West Virginia. As we were nearing the departure site, we actually passed my mother's high school.
My late mother grew up in Mt. Hope, W.Va. As I was rafting down the New River, I thought of her upbringing in a very small town and how she eventually met my father in Charleston, W.Va., just after World War II. I remembered the many weekends my sisters and I spent walking around Mt. Hope while we were visiting my grandparents. My grandfather and father-in-law were coal miners. They worked very hard and provided the best they could for their families.
As we were going down the rapids, we saw the beautiful scenery and trains, which carried coal from place to place. I never realized this beautiful river was so close to my grandparents' house!
During this trip, my mind drifted back to my late parents. Both worked at management jobs at a time when mothers typically stayed at home. They both worked to provide a home for their children. When mom came home, she immediately began her second job — caring for us. My father did the exact same thing. I point this out because both parents had stressful jobs. Yet, they were always kind and considerate to us and others. They cared deeply about family, God and country. They taught me that philanthropy of time, talent and treasure was important and that I should do my best to serve others. I can hear my father saying treat people as you want to be treated. The wonderful values my parents taught me will stay with me for life.
Duke Haddad, Ed.D., CFRE, is currently associate director of development, director of capital campaigns and director of corporate development for The Salvation Army Indiana Division in Indianapolis. He also serves as president of Duke Haddad and Associates LLC and is a freelance instructor for Nonprofit Web Advisor.
He has been a contributing author to NonProfit PRO since 2008.
He received his doctorate degree from West Virginia University with an emphasis on education administration plus a dissertation on donor characteristics. He received a master’s degree from Marshall University with an emphasis on public administration plus a thesis on annual fund analysis. He secured a bachelor’s degree (cum laude) with an emphasis on marketing/management. He has done post graduate work at the University of Louisville.
Duke has received the Fundraising Executive of the Year Award, from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Indiana Chapter. He also was given the Outstanding West Virginian Award, Kentucky Colonel Award and Sagamore of the Wabash Award from the governors of West Virginia, Kentucky and Indiana, respectively, for his many career contributions in the field of philanthropy. He has maintained a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) designation for three decades.
