The Wayne Community College Scholarship Invitational has reached a milestone.
The 2019 event netted $197,000, bringing the total raised in its 27-year history to more than $2 million. All of those funds go to scholarships for Wayne Community College students.
“There is not a community college in this state that can touch this amount or the number of students we have been able to help because of this event,” said Foundation of Wayne Community College Executive Director Adrienne Northington.
“Any time you can say you raised that much money for scholarships, it is a great day,” said Tournament Chair Justin McLamb.
Dr. Thomas Walker Jr., WCC president, concurred: “Because of this event, there’s not a student who comes on our campus who we can’t help. It has a tremendous impact on individuals and on this community.”
The Invitational’s live and silent auctions and golf tournament, held this summer at Walnut Creek Country Club, combined with sponsorships and donations, contributed to the take.
More than 100 businesses and individuals served as sponsors for this year’s tournament at 12 financial levels. Dozens of people and businesses also donated items for the auctions. Students and employees at the college provided a volunteer workforce throughout the event.
“Kudos go to our golf and auction committee and the leadership of our returning chair, Justin McLamb, and the continued support of Jackson and Sons Heating and Air Conditioning as scholarship invitational sponsor for the 12th year in a row,” Northington said.
During the previous academic year, the Foundation awarded a total of 558 scholarships worth nearly $382,000 for tuition, testing fees, books, and tools. The Invitational is the Foundation’s largest single source of funds for those scholarships.
This year’s event sponsors were
Invitational Sponsor: Jackson and Sons Heating and Air Conditioning
Diamond Sponsors: Drs. Kay and Woody Albertson, Benton & Sons Fabrication, Bonnie and Bill Hunter, Korschun Foundation, R.A. Bryan Foundation Inc., Richard Building Supply Company, and Wells Fargo Bank
Platinum Sponsors:, Alta Foods LLC, Andy’s Foundation, AP Exhaust Technologies Inc., Beacon Roofing Supply, Branch Banking & Trust Co., Fran and Larry Boyce, Case Farms, CopyPro, Deacon Jones Auto Group, Follett Bookstore, Franklin Baking Company, Georgia-Pacific Foundation, Mt. Olive Pickle Company, Ryerson, Southern Bank, Union Bank, Wayne UNC Health Care, and Wooten Development Company
Scholarship Sponsors: Arnold Wilbert Vault, AT&T, Baker Pipe and Parts LLC, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services McMillen and Associates Realty, Daniels and Daniels Construction Company, Dr. Deborah K. Fulbright, Goldsboro Builders Supply, Horne Moving Systems Inc., Cathy and Tom Howell, Estelle and Dr. John Jennings, Beth and Jack Kannan, Piedmont Natural Gas, PNC Bank, Precision Plumbing, Professional Data Management Inc., Quality Inn, Ram Rent-All, Seegars Fence Company, Select Bank & Trust, Seymour Funeral Home and Cremation, Tands Inc./Bojangles’, The Borden Fund Inc., Carol and Al Takemoto, Jerry Tysinger, Wayne Electric Company, Wayne Realty & Insurance Co. Inc., and In Memory of Dr. Ross Wilson
Gold Sponsors: Baddour, Parker, Hine & Hale PC, Best Commercial Development LLC, Carr, Riggs, and Ingram CPAs and Advisors, Down East Furniture, E.J. Pope & Sons Inc., First Citizens Bank, Jackie Houser, Lee and Geoff Hulse, Institutional Interiors Inc., Jason M. Blackburn Attorney at Law PLLC, KS Bank, McGriff Insurance Services, North Carolina Community Federal Credit Union, In Memory of Dr. Herman Porter, Schneider Electric Buildings Americas Inc., Strickland, Agner, & Associates Attorneys and Counselors at Law, Strickland Insurance Brokers, Warren, Kerr, Walston, Taylor, & Smith LLP, and Wells Fargo Advisors
Hole Sponsors: Asphalt Services LLC, Banks, Gray, and Crumpler PLLC, Barwick Lawn Care, Carolina Family Pool & Patio, Collier and Associates, Eagles Properties Inc., Evergreen Memorial Services Inc., First Command, Goldsboro Physical Therapy, Hamm Chiropractic, Hartford Mutual Funds, Hine Sitework Inc., Jackson Builders, Keen Plumbing, Life Inc., McArthur Properties of Goldsboro, Nunn, Brashear, & Uzzell PA, Pizza Inn of Goldsboro, Sutton’s Safety Shoes Inc., George Whitfield, and Dr. Edward H. Wilson Jr.
Blue Sponsors: Chick-fil-A, Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Culligan Water, Hamm Chiropractic, Parker and Parker PA CPA, Pepsi Bottling Ventures, S&D Coffee Inc., Southco Distributing Company, and Tands Inc./Bojangles’
Caddy Sponsors: Susan and Clift McCall and Jann Webb
Hole in One Sponsor: Dean Williams Insurance Agency
Invitational Dinner Sponsor: Janney Montgomery Scott LLC
Invitational Breakfast Sponsor: Tands Inc./Bojangles’
Invitational Lunch Sponsor: Chick-fil-A of Goldsboro
Wooten Oil Company founded the event in 1993 as a way to contribute to a cause that would use all of the money raised locally. Dillon Wooten and his business Wooten Development Company continue to be involved in it.
The Foundation of Wayne Community College is a non-profit organization that works to broaden the base of community support for educational opportunities at the college. In addition to providing scholarships, it funds innovative campus projects and employee recognition, and offers cultural programs for the community.
Wayne Community College is a public, learning-centered institution with an open-door admission policy located in Goldsboro, N.C. As it works to develop a highly skilled and competitive workforce, the college serves 11,000 individuals annually as well as businesses, industry, and community organizations with high quality, affordable, accessible learning opportunities, including more than 140 college credit programs. WCC’s mission is to meet the educational, training, and cultural needs of the communities it serves.
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