We'll be delving into a lot more figures -- fundraising and otherwise -- from the DIA network in the weeks ahead, but a champagne (okay, okay ... vodka) hangover on New Year's allows time enough for a quick follow-up to last week's suggested push for donations:

The last five days of 2006 were the five givingest days in DIA's history.

Nearly 14,000 gifts for more than $1.74 million passed through DIA donation pages during that period, and that's despite the two last days of the year falling over a weekend, which typically muffles giving. Here's how it broke down:

Mark the average for the 31st. The system-wide average gift for all of 2006 was $127.80 (this is one of the numbers we'll be unpacking); the 27th through 30th are actually a little below that. But the last day of the [fiscal] year brings out the folks serious about their writeoffs, a population significantly overlapping that of people capable of major gifts.

There were 171 donations from $500 to $999 on the last day of the year, and 93 more of $1,000 or greater -- those two categories accounting 9% of the gifts yesterday. Another 332 contributions fell in the $200-$499 range.

Didn't find time to squirrel away an acorn this week? Open up your December '07 calendar and write yourself a reminder in big block letters. It's our New Year's gift to you.