How does a small team with no experience in live television production put together a 12-hour telethon to raise more than half a million dollars from more than 1,000 alumni? And how does the team do it in a 200-square-foot bell tower with almost no budget? We organized Kenyon’s third-ever online giving day, known as the Bell-A-Thon, on March 27, 2018, after the enthusiastic alumni response to two previous events. The Bell-A-Thon began as a Giving Tuesday campaign but was moved from November to March to take advantage of better spring weather and other factors. The 12-hour event was held in the bell tower of Kenyon’s Church of the Holy Spirit, where we rang the chapel bells every half hour for each online gift made to the Kenyon Fund and Kenyon Parents Fund.
From the Judges
The judges felt the Kenyon Bell-A-Thon was a unique giving day approach and clearly spoke to the institution’s spirit and culture. The telethon-style campaign highlighted student and faculty talent, demonstrated superior planning, and included campuswide participation. Kenyon’s outcomes were notable. It raised an impressive amount of money per dollar spent and achieved a 71% conversion to gift rate from those individuals who visited its web page. The judges also liked the genuine feel of their grassroots telethon production.
