Steve Hallstrom’s interview with Dakota Medical Foundation Executive Director Pat Traynor on Giving Hearts Day
FARGO, N.D. – The single biggest day of giving to charities across the region has wrapped up in the Red River Valley.
More than $30.3 million was raised as a part of Giving Hearts Day by nearly 40,000 donors.
Last year’s total topped $31 million, and Dakota Medical Foundation Executive Director Pat Traynor said that’s due to some anomalies.
“Last year, we had several charities that were over a million dollars that they raised,” Traynor said. “Last year, we had six charities that were over a million and one other that was just $20,000 shy of a million.”
The charities this year included 44 new ones.
He called the day ‘spectacular,’ as it was the second straight year of more than $30 million being raised.
“We have much to be thankful for,” Traynor said.
While Giving Hearts Day benefits charities, the building it’s housed in also benefits the community – a “gift,” Traynor said.
“We have AA groups, we have kid groups that come in and host piano recitals and all sorts of things that go on. Hunter safety training in this facility. So this is a gift,” he said. “We featured charities all day long. There were gifts given, there were prizes. Donors came in and wrote more checks. I mean, it’s just spectacular.”
