Laurinburg Area Campaign for St. Andrews surpasses goal

Laurinburg, N.C. – Despite a tough economic climate, the Laurinburg Area Campaign to support St. Andrews Presbyterian College surpassed the $500,000 goal for the 14th consecutive year.

“We reached $509,603,” said College President Paul Baldasare. “We deeply appreciate the support this community shows for St. Andrews. We are also grateful for the leadership given this year by our campaign co-chairs, Emily and Andy Womble.

“Their efforts were absolutely remarkable given the state of the economy.”

The Wombles helped bring 360 donors – including 35 new ones – into the campaign.

“Andy and I would like to thank all of the contributors for recognizing how much St. Andrews means to our community,” Emily Womble said. “For us, achieving the goal confirms once again that we live in a caring community of people who continue, even in tough times, to rise to the occasion for a good cause.”

Baldasare added, “I’ve been in fundraising for a long time and it’s really interesting when I go to meetings of my counterparts and we discuss how much money they raise in their communities. They are shocked at the level of giving we have in this community. I think we have a lot to be proud about.”

St. Andrews is one of the top five employers in Scotland County with an annual budget of $16 million. The college attracts more than 15,000 visitors annually to the county for various events such as open houses for potential students, the Scottish Heritage Symposium, equestrian shows and athletic events.

“We are grateful to the community for once again supporting St. Andrews at such a high level,” said Meredith Bounds, Laurinburg Area Campaign director. “We are really pleased with the leadership Andy and Emily provided. Their dedication to this campaign and the college made a difference as we closed in on our goal.”

2009 Laurinburg Area Campaign Co-Chairs Emily and Andy Womble.

Impact of St. Andrews personal for
Laurinburg Area Campaign Chairs

The 2009 Laurinburg Area Campaign to support St. Andrews Presbyterian College began with a luncheon in the Belk Main Room Thursday with campaign chairs Emily and Andy Womble sharing their strong connection to the campus.

“When we were asked to chair this year’s campaign a lot of thoughts went through our heads,” said Emily Womble. “The first was that they had to be crazy to ask us. Next was we would have to be crazy to say yes. But then we thought about it and realized we would have to be crazy not to with all the things St. Andrews has meant to us over the years.”

Womble recounted the times she and Andy would visit the campus first as a young married couple and then with their children for picnics and soccer games.

“Now one of our favorite things to do is to bring our granddaughter Paige here to the wide spaces and watch her feed the ducks,” she said.

Her unique perspective also includes years as a member of the St. Andrews staff, allowing her to come in from the outside to see the inner workings of how St. Andrews transforms the lives of the students.

“This is a college that not only educates the mind but also the whole person,” she said. “I watched students explore what it means to be fully human and what it means to serve in the community. I saw students and faculty come together in tragedies and the way faculty care for the students outside the classroom. There are faculty members here who could teach at any major university that chose St. Andrews because of the connection they have with students.”

A small group of students displayed their talents with selections from the upcoming musical theatre production Threepenny Opera.

Womble expressed the hope that with her shared insights the close to 70 community members in attendance would think about how St. Andrews transforms lives while also being a key part of the Scotland County community.

St. Andrews is one of the top five employers in Scotland County with an annual budget of $16 million. The college attracts more than 15,000 visitors annually to the county for various events such as open houses for potential students, the Scottish Heritage Symposium, equestrian shows and athletic events.

“I want everyone to think about what it would be like without St. Andrews in this community and make the decision to support the college,” she said.

Co-chair Andy Womble shared that the campaign has raised $168,073 to date through the silent phase toward the $500,000 goal for the fiscal year which ends May 31.

“I am certain that we will meet our goal,” said College President Paul Baldasare. “We wouldn’t be here without the community both from the financial support and the leadership and guidance that members of the community have provided to us over the years. We appreciate what you do for us and hope we reciprocate it with our programs here.”

The Laurinburg Area Campaign is seeking to continue to broaden the base of support from the community. If you are interested in making a contribution to the Laurinburg Area Campaign for St. Andrews, please contact Meredith Bounds 910-277-5662.

Emily and Andy Womble To Chair 2009 Laurinburg Area Campaign

For the 14th consecutive year, the Laurinburg Area Campaign to support St. Andrews Presbyterian College will seek to raise $500,000 in donations.

Emily and Andy Womble of Laurinburg will be the 2009 campaign chairs, kicking off efforts on Thursday, March 12, at 12 noon in the Belk Center at St. Andrews.

“We look at St. Andrews as a wonderful institution that means so much to our community,” said Emily Womble, who is retired from Pilkington. She also volunteers to coordinate open houses for St. Andrews.

St. Andrews is one of the top five employers in Scotland County with an annual budget of $16 million. The college attracts more than 15,000 visitors annually to the county for various events such as open houses for potential students, the Scottish Heritage Symposium, equestrian shows, and athletic events.

“SA has been for around a long time and I think sometimes we may take it for granted,” said Andy Womble who is retired from West Point Home. “In these economic times, we should get behind it and support it.

“St. Andrews means a lot to the quality of life in Laurinburg and Scotland County.”

The Laurinburg Area Campaign is seeking this year to continue to broaden the base of support from the community. Last year, a record number of new donors contributed to the campaign.

President Paul Baldasare, left, poses with 2009 Laurinburg Area Campaign Chairs Emily and Andy Womble.

2008 Laurinburg Area Campaign

Goal: $500,000
Total: $510,960

Number of Donors Increased As
Laurinburg Area Campaign Surpasses 2008 Goal

“It’s not the queen bees but the worker bees who make a campaign successful,” said Jim McQueen, co-chair along with Linda McQueen for the 2008 Laurinburg Area Campaign to benefit St. Andrews Presbyterian College. “Not only did we reach our goal of $500,000, but we also had a total of 414 donors – a 23 percent increase from the previous year.”

His comments came during Thursday’s celebration to mark the end of the successful campaign. The event was hosted by St. Andrews by Lake Ansley C. Moore at the Belk Center.

“Our total is $510,960,” said McQueen. “That’s 102 percent of our goal and I don’t know about St. Andrews, but if you make 102 on a test, you make an A plus for the test!”

He credited the campaign’s team captains and team members for reaching more donors this year. This marks the 13th consecutive year the campaign has exceeded its goal of a half million dollars.

The Laurinburg Area Campaign is a key component in supporting St. Andrews annually. In return, St. Andrews is one of the top five employers in Scotland County with an annual budget of $16 million. The college attracts more than 15,000 visitors annually to the county for various events such as open houses for potential students, Scottish Heritage Symposium, equestrian shows, and athletic events.

“The McQueens have provided extraordinary leadership on the college’s behalf,” said Paul Baldasare, president of the college. “It’s incredibly moving when you go with Jim and Linda to a civic club and watch their presentation. Jim will say there are three things most important to him in this community – his family, his church, and St. Andrews.

“When I first met with the McQueens, we talked about three goals. They wanted first of all to meet the financial goal and then they wanted to expand the number of volunteers. Their third goal was to have a broad measure of support from the community.

“I am happy to report that all three of these goals were met. I am grateful to Jim and Linda for their efforts.”

Baldasare also expressed thanks to others in the community who work cooperatively in raising money for other worthy causes such as Scotland Memorial Hospital, Habitat for Humanity, Hospice, and others.

“I’ve been in fundraising for a long time and it’s really interesting when I go to meetings of my counterparts and how much money they raise in their communities,” said Baldasare. “They are shocked about the level of giving we have in this community. I think we have a lot to be proud about.

Jim McQueen shares the statistics of the successful 2008 Laurinburg Area Campaign that he co-chaired with his wife Linda.

Read more about the campaign here.

2007-2008 Campaign kickoff

Learn how the contributions to the Laurinburg Area Campaign influenced the life of a recent graduate.

The 2008 Laurinburg Area Campaign to support St. Andrews Presbyterian College steering committee members included (front row from left) Wayne and Debi Hobbs, Pat Ellis, Larry Greene, Marion and Julian Smith, and Kyle Bethel. Second row: Pinney Geffert, Shirley Pait, Jim and Linda McQueen (campaign chairs), Frances Frye, Robert Malloy and Paul Baldasare, college president.