“It enriches the soul to be able to know that I will have a little part in the continuation of something like public broadcasting.” – Diana Glover, Rapid City
Diana Glover grew up on a sheep and cattle ranch between Newell and Mud Butte. Because Newell High School was 30 miles away from home, she lived in town with her grandparents during the school year. “I and a lot of ranch kids who lived far away had to stay in town so we could go to school,” says Glover.
Glover went on to teach elementary school herself for 31 years, primarily in Rapid City. Like many young mothers, she taught preschool so she could stay involved in education and her own children could be socialized and learn early childhood skills. She credits Sesame Street with inspiring her first support of SDPB. “When my children were pre-school aged, they’d watch Sesame Street and Mister Rogers. I remember right away feeling this sort of obligation that I needed to be supportive, even if I couldn’t in a big way financially. I think I sent off ten dollars a year, just to express my appreciation.”
Later, as a fourth grade teacher, Glover incorporated SDPB’s education resources into her curriculum, rolling the big AV cart into her classroom so students could watch programs on South Dakota history and culture.
After she retired, Glover was very involved with the South Dakota Retired Teachers Association, now known as Retired School Personnel, including serving as the volunteer executive director. In retirement, she’s also made choices about how she wants to continue to impact education in South Dakota. “I realized that, although I have never been rich, I had some resources I could share,” says Glover. “I made the decision that I would choose six organizations that I wanted to support even after I was dead. And there was no question that public broadcasting would be one of them. Probably was my first choice, actually.”
Glover says SDPB continues to impact her life. “My son, who is in fundraising as a career, asked me what organization I thought was the most helpful. I said, ‘if you’re talking about the one that’s most helpful to me personally, it would be public broadcasting, because I have it on all the time when I’m home.” She’s a fan of In the Moment with Lori Walsh, Ken Burns documentaries and Antiques Roadshow. “To me public broadcasting has had a big impact and appreciation of this country and history, in particular,” says Glover. “I guess if there’s a message for everyone, it’s, ‘do what you can.’ No one expects a million dollar gift all the time. It’s just those little gifts that mean a lot to the organization that receives them and a lot to the giver. It enriches the soul to know I will have a little part in the continuation of something like public broadcasting.”
For more information on SDPB’s Legacy Society please call 800-456-0766 or visit http://sdpb.org/ legacysociety.
