NCWC News: 22nd Annual Day for Wesleyan Sets New Record

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September 17, 2003

22nd Annual Day for Wesleyan Sets New Record

Rocky Mount, N.C.—North Carolina Wesleyan College’s 22nd Annual Day for Wesleyan fundraising event held on Tuesday, September 16, set a new record of $449,684 in gifts and pledges. This year’s total was nearly 11 percent more than last year’s record-shattering tally of just over $405,000.

Day for Wesleyan volunteer co-chairs Paul Bauer and Joseph Nelson announced the fundraising success at a Tuesday evening celebration on campus at the home of Wesleyan President Ian Newbould and Carla Newbould.

"The Rocky Mount community supports Wesleyan in the most wonderful way imaginable," President Newbould told the crowd of Wesleyan faculty, staff, friends of the College, and members of the Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce who gathered to celebrate the day’s activities. "Each year, we hope to do better than the year previous, and we’ve certainly accomplished that this year." Newbould said that Wesleyan’s students will directly benefit from the generosity of the Day for Wesleyan supporters.

The Day for Wesleyan event is actually the culmination of a four-week effort by more than 100 volunteers from the campus and community who call on about 700 businesses and individuals to ask for donations and pledges.

Dr. Philip Ellmore, vice president of development, thanked the volunteers who helped make the fundraising event possible. "We wouldn’t be as successful as we are without our dedicated volunteers," he said. "Gifts to Day for Wesleyan go to support a variety of areas, depending on the donor’s interest and direction. Much of the support goes for basic expenses of the college, including scholarships, library resources, the Dunn Center for the Performing Arts, athletics, computer equipment, and other basic needs."

This year’s volunteers were led by Paul Bauer and Joseph Nelson, two Rocky Mount businessmen and community leaders. Bauer is a 1986 Wesleyan graduate and vice-president of the John Hackney Agency of Rocky Mount. Nelson is chairman and president of Davenport Motor Company. Their efforts for Day for Wesleyan actually began last summer when they were instrumental in recruiting the event’s Executive Committee members, who contacted more than 300 individuals and businesses to request their financial support prior to the actual Day for Wesleyan.

English professor Dr. Vivienne Anderson headed on-campus fundraising among faculty and staff. In a letter prior to Day for Wesleyan, Anderson said, "Our participation serves as an example for all others who may be considering contributions to the College. Indeed, our commitment to the College’s continued progress and growth exemplifies our commitment to our students, our alumni and the larger Rocky Mount community."

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