This is the second year in a row that Keene State College Athletics has done “The Giving Challenge.” The giving challenge is sponsored by the Fenton Family Dealership and donated $2,000 toward athletics. This money will be distributed equally amongst each team. Athletic Director Dr. Kristene Kelly said in essence, they’re trying to raise money for all of the different teams. “For equipment, supplies, travel, uniforms, you name it, but really it’s more so for us to engage our new donor base. From our Alumni, particularly using our alumni and trying to engage them a lot more, as well as trying to engage some new donors just so they keep Keene State fresh on the brain,” Kelly said. 
The donations that have been made are 4 percent students, 35 percent alumni, 15 percent parents, 25 percent friends and 14 percent faculty and staff. “The 25 percent of friends really excites me because those are people who are not Keene State alumni, faculty, staff, or students and the fact that they are giving means that our name is really being put out there,” Kelly said.
Each team and Fenton Family has given $2,000. “It was supposed to be teams competing against each other, but we decided against that and we’re just going to take the $2,000 and spread it amongst each team, but Fenton Family donated $2,000 toward that challenge,“ Kelly said.
Kelly said that their end goal is more about the donor, so it’s more about the amount of people who are donating to the cause rather than the money itself.
The Keene State community, friends and family had 28 days to raise money “because February is the shortest month of the year, so we didn’t have the full 30 days and our teams have really rallied behind. Men’s lacrosse right now is [at] 106 donors and we’ve kind of based it more on donors,” Kelly said.
Kelly went on to discuss the end goal.
“I am very optimistic, and our end goal is $30,000. Right now, we’re at $24,305 and we have two days left. Our goal was 500 donors and we’re at 531, so we’ve hit our goal, but I don’t want to just meet goals, I want to exceed them. I want to smash our goals. So hopefully we get to $30,000. I will be fine with $25,000, but I really want to get to $30,000. “
Shelby Iava can be contacted at siava@kscequinox.com