Our Crowdfunding Groups
Thankful. Amazed. Inspired. These are just a few words to describe how we feel at day 27 of 30.
Thanks to our wonderful donors, we are thrilled to announce that the Abigail "Abz" Zeitler Memorial Endowment has officially met UT's requirements and will be signed into existence this semester. Beginning in 2020, Texas Real Beauty will receive funds in Abz's honor to assist them as they spread their message of love and self-acceptance across campus. To everyone who has helped us reach this point, we extend our most sincere gratitude!
There are still three days left to donate and be a part of this story! Every additional dollar we raise increases the funding Real Beauty will receive each year, expanding their potential for impact on campus. Help us ensure that the message Abz held so dear to her heart is heard by everyone student who steps on the Forty Acres.
Recently, we stumbled across a post Abz shared with potential applicants to Texas Spirits in the spring of 2015. We share them with you below in hopes that you never forget who you are or why you were chosen. Help remind Longhorns for years to come that they are chosen, too.
"Our university prides itself in creating leaders of change - an incredible feat when you think of the number of students on the 40 acres. With 50,000 of us it is sometimes easy to get lost in the shuffle of everyday life. You were chosen for a reason and you are here for a reason; that reason is to change the world and leave it a little bit better than when your journey first began. So today, I invite you to surround yourself with people who will inspire you to become the best version of yourself. I invite you to remember the reasons that you were chosen to be a part of UT." -Abz Zeitler
In gratitude,
The Abz Endowment Committee
We continued to be amazed by the generosity of our donors! Thank you to everyone has donated so far. We have nine days left to raise the final $3,000 left needed to hit our goal of $16,000. Can you help us reach our target?
As you can imagine, we've been thinking about Abz more often than usual lately. Last week, Texas Spirits tapped-in our spring 2019 weenie class. While excitement and nerves played across the faces of the newest 26 young women who will call Texas Spirits home, each of them look up to Julie, our current Chief Haunt, with wonder and respect. It reminded us about the role that Abz, our 2015 Chief, played for our organization. She was our face, our fearless leader. She introduced 52 weenies to our tradition and helped ensure that the actives during her tenure always stayed fired up. We are grateful for the traditions that bond us to one another.
Every donation counts, no matter the size! Thank you for helping us make this vision a reality!
Humbly,
The Texas Spirits Abz Endowment Committee
Incredible. Amazing. Inspirational. Those are just a few words we have for our 100+ donors who have helped us raise over $11,000 in less than two weeks! We continue to be humbled by the power of Abz’s story and the number of lives she has touched.
We are excited to announce that we will now focus on raising $16,000 (190% of our goal), which will close the funding gap needed to meet UT's $25,000 endowment minimum. For each dollar raised beyond our original goal of $8,500, Texas Spirits will match your donation dollar for dollar, up to $7,000.
Every donation, no matter its size, puts us that much closer to our goal. Help us preserve the legacy of this remarkable woman TODAY!
Humbly,
The Texas Spirits Abz Endowment Committee
In less than 50 hours, we’ve already reached 68% of our goal! THANK YOU to everyone who has donated or shared our page so far. From the bottom of our hearts, we are so grateful. The overwhelming support this campaign has received is a testament to the life of Abz Zeitler and the impact she had on those she knew.
We still need to raise $2,800 to reach our original target of $8,500. If you haven’t yet donated, make a gift TODAY! If you’ve already contributed, please take two minutes to share our page on social media. Every share and every dollar donated helps to memorialize the life and leadership of our incredible Abz!
Gratefully,
The Texas Spirits Abz Endowment Committee
The cost to send a bouquet of sunflowers to Abz’s home in Valapraiso, IN. Sunflowers were Abz's favorite kind of flower. They never fail to remind those she left behind of the sunny young woman they had the honor of knowing.
The number of women Abz led as Chief Haunt (president) of Texas Spirits. As Chief, Abz created a home for 162 women on the UT campus. She continued a 78-year legacy on the Forty Acres by upholding the Texas Spirits pillars of service, love, friendship, and spirit.
The cost of attending Camp Texas, a three-day orientation for freshman and transfer students at UT. Abz served as a Camp Texas counselor for three years, mentoring dozens of new Longhorns in their first few days on the Forty Acres.
The hours worth of curriculum Abz helped teach as an ESL volunteer at Casa Marianella in Austin, the only homeless shelter in Austin dedicated solely to immigrants. Abz actively gave back to her various communities.
The cost of a plane ticket from Austin to Amsterdam. Abz studied abroad there in spring 2016 and was passionate about traveling. She spent her senior year working as a study abroad peer adviser in UT’s International Office.
The funding Abz raised to bring Lizzie Velasquez in as keynote speaker for fall 2015 Texas Real Beauty programming. Abz served as the director of the campaign in 2015, setting a strong precedent for the years to come. Its theme was "Love Yourself to Love the World.”
The number of miles Abz biked the summer for 2015 from Austin to Anchorage, Alaska to raise money for cancer research. Abz rode along with other members of Texas 4000. Abz dedicated her ride to her mother, Peggy, who won a multi-year fight against cancer.
