We can now think in "Gillings gift time" -- before the Gillings gift and after the Gillings gift.  I am grateful to all of you who shared our joy and gratitude -- in person, through e-mails, phone calls and the mail.  E-mails from people around the world conveyed just how much the gift means to an extended global School of Public Health community.  It was awesome to realize that the message reverberated from Chapel Hill, across the United States and to Tanzania, India and other countries in a matter of hours, thanks to the Internet. The extent of the e-mails reflects the extent of our global reach.

It was spectacular to share our celebrations February 21  with so many people -- members of our Advisory Council and Foundation Board, students, faculty, staff, alumni, UNC-Chapel Hill leaders, collaborators, and friends.

I was moved by all the people who rearranged their schedules on that day to be with us. You got on planes, and you drove across town and across the state. Seeing the atrium in Michael Hooker Research Center packed with people on all three floors of the building -- over 500 people in all -- was exhilarating and showed how many people care deeply about our school and wanted to be part of this watershed milestone in the life of the school. The positive ties that bind people to the School are indeed strong.

Many people worked fast and furiously to make the event a reality. (See thank-you list.) They did it with dedication, grace, ingenuity, creativity and passion. Assuring healthy, quality food for more than 500 people, cleaning the building, arranging transportation to Graham Memorial for a University acknowledgment, securing the Clef Hangers, getting excellent press coverage, creating content for the Web site and multiple other sources, interacting with press, and preparing a proposal took the quality efforts of many people across the School of Public Health -- in collaboration with people across campus, especially Chancellor Moeser, Matt Kupec, Nancy Davis, Lisa Katz, Scott Ragland, many others in Central Development, and people beyond the campus, including Jerry Salak, the event planner extraordinaire. These people and many others from our school put in a lot of extra hours, and they did so without question. The level of teamwork was awesome.

Many of you saw the recognition of Dr. and Mrs. Gillings at the basketball game and realized that it takes a big event to get attention on the basketball court!

I look forward to involving you in the exciting opportunities before us in the years ahead. Meanwhile, enjoy the photos and videos on the School's Web site and stay tuned for updates on the gift, how it is being invested and ways you can become involved.

Barbara K. Rimer