Bill Leonard has only missed three UF Homecoming games since 1970.
With orange and blue along the walls, the Leonard home is ready for this week’s game.
Bill, 61, and his wife, Melanie, 60, moved back to their college town of Gainesville eight months ago for early retirement. Melanie retired as a flight attendant after 30 years of service while Bill still practices law in small claims court.
Bill and Melanie have decided to give back to UF’s College of Journalism and Communications’ clubs and organizations for the second year in a row.
Melanie said she’s happy to be able to help student organizations this year.
“We wanted to do something that benefited more than one person,” she said.
The couple is covering the cost of food for journalism clubs for the Homecoming tailgate party hosted outside Weimer Hall. The clubs use this opportunity to raise money for their organizations by selling food for $5 before kickoff.
All the extra money made from the tailgate barbecue will go straight to the clubs.
“Whatever comes in is theirs. Their gross is net,” Bill said.
Bill, a 1974 UF advertising alumnus, said he hopes their donation inspires other alumni to donate.
“We’d like to challenge The Gator Nation to giving back to the school,” he said. “We want alumni and friends to donate to the colleges they’re interested in.”
The couple previously set up a scholarship in the School of Theater and Dance in the College of Fine Arts.
“I think it’s an awesome opportunity for the college’s organizations to earn an extra amount of money to put on events and make their organizations better for students,” said Justin Galicz, president of Journalism and Communications Ambassadors and 21-year-old UF journalism senior.
Bill said he and Melanie will continue to cover the cost of food each year. The Leonards plan on establishing a scholarship for a journalism student.
“I think that people who have been blessed with much — and an education from the University of Florida is a blessing — should do well with what they have been given,” he said.
“That includes helping others to enjoy the same opportunity to attend the University of Florida that we enjoyed.”
[A version of this story ran on page 12 on 10/17/2014]
