For Love of the Game
For John and Cindy Hackworthy, Indiana University Athletics are an enduring passion. This Spencer, Indiana family recently endowed a scholarship that will enhance IU’s ability to recruit student athletes in Olympic sports.
In Love With IU
The Hackworthys understand the value of working and playing hard. From the moment they met over a bridge game while students at Wisconsin’s Lawrence College, they have been a great team. After graduation, John took a job manufacturing signs at Spencer’s Stello Products, Inc. Eventually, he purchased the company. Cindy, former social worker, recalls that part of settling into Indiana was falling in love with IU. "We were a little lonely at first," she recalls, "but Indiana University sporting events became the bridge that helped connect us to our new home."
Contagious Enthusiasm
The camaraderie surrounding IU sports was contagious. John reminisces: "We used to take 50 people to away-football games. Whenever we went to Madison, my hometown, we shared a hotel, had a fancy Friday night dinner, and headed to Mom’s house on Saturday for a pre-game cocktail party. Those were the best of times."
The Hackworthy’s had a ball at home, too. As president of the Owen County Varsity Club, John and Cindy hosted the first "white lot" tailgating party [out of the trunk of their car] during a freezing downpour. "The weather didn’t stop us," said John. "Everybody came and the OWVC is now an institution at football games," says John.
IU Athletics is embedded in the Hackworthy genetic code. Their daughters, Amy, Deb, and Susan, are natural athletes and share their parents’ enthusiasm. Cindy says, "We took the girls to every game we could. We were a family of fans."
Doing More
Love of the game inspired them to support the University in every way they could. For thirty years they have been members of the Varsity Club’s Hoosier Hundred giving society, which provides annual scholarship support for IU student athletes. Recently the Hackworthys realized they could give more.
"The Charitable Gift Annuity is a win-win situation," says John. "We give stock to the IU Foundation and we get the income as long as Cindy and I are living. So many people our age with large portfolios can’t sell because of tax reasons. A Charitable Gift Annuity is the perfect solution. If our accounts allow it, we plan to do even more."
Scholarship, team work, sportsmanship, and generosity—that’s a winning combination that brings out the best in student athletes and the donors that support them.
