Thanks to a $5,101 donation from the Queen of Hearts drawing at Last Alarm Pub in Amboy, the Foundation has officially met a $50,000 matching challenge from an anonymous donor in Sublette.
The anonymous donor pledged to match up to $50,000 in gifts to the Clippers Campaign, allowing the community to double its impact. Contributions from individuals, businesses and community partners steadily moved the campaign toward the goal, with Last Alarm Pub’s $5,101 donation helping push it across the finish line.
With the full match secured, $50,000 in community generosity has become $100,000 for Amboy students.
“This is exactly what we hoped the Clippers Campaign would become—a community coming together to invest in its own kids,” said Lori Cortez, Vice President of Advancement at Sauk Valley Community College. “We are incredibly grateful to Rachel, Last Alarm Pub, and everyone who participated in the Queen of Hearts drawing. A $5,101 gift is significant on its own, but knowing it helped unlock the full $50,000 match makes its impact even greater.”
The Foundation also credits Last Alarm Pub owner Rachel Miller for using the Queen of Hearts drawing to rally the community around Amboy students. Rachel stated, “I knew after attending a fundraising event for the SVCC Impact Program that a great way to help out would be making them the next recipients of our Queen of Hearts. The Queen of Hearts was something we started after COVID to get people back into our business. In doing so, we have donated over $200,000 to our local non-profits. I always tell people this isn’t my money; this is the community’s money going directly back into the community.”
The Clippers Campaign is a $600,000 community fundraising effort to support Amboy students participating in Sauk Valley Community College’s Impact Program. Through Impact, eligible students can earn tuition assistance at SVCC by completing volunteer service in their communities while in high school.
The investment comes full circle: students gain greater access to education while local nonprofits, schools, municipalities, churches and community organizations benefit from thousands of hours of volunteer service.
The Sauk Valley College Foundation extends its sincere gratitude to the anonymous Sublette donor, Rachel and the Last Alarm Pub team, the Queen of Hearts participants, and the many individuals, businesses, and organizations supporting the Clippers Campaign.
