Fork Union exceeds goal. Fork Union Military Academy completed its largest fundraiser in history 18 months earlier than expected and has exceeded its $29 million goal by more than $2.3 million. A surprise challenge by an anonymous donor helped push the “Securing the Promise” capital campaign to its early conclusion and drive the total amount above the goal. Gifts and pledges totalling $31.3 million, collected since January 2003 as part of the capital campaign, will support student scholarships, faculty development and capital improvements throughout the school's campus.
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Bluefield plans Christian emphasis week. Bluefield College will host its annual Duremdes Christian Emphasis Week, Sept. 26-28, featuring evangelist Tony Nolan and the contemporary Christian band Building 429. The sessions begin at 10 a.m. each day in the school's Harman Chapel. Building 429 will hold a concert at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 28 in the chapel.
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Disaster relief training. Virginia Baptists' disaster relief ministry will hold training sessions in November. A crisis care chaplaincy training session will be held Nov. 5-7. It will begin at
9:30 a.m. on Nov 5 and conclude at noon on Nov. 7. To register, contact Jeannette Hildebrand at the Virginia Baptist Mission Board at [email protected] or (804) 915-5000. Training in feeding, recovery and temporary child care will be hosted by the Goshen Baptist Association on Nov. 10. The location will be announced later. To register, contact the association office at (540) 894-8440.
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Intermont to get Kessee Fund. Students who attend Virginia Intermont College in Bristol have gained access to more scholarship funding, thanks to the generosity of the Charles B. Keesee Educational Fund Inc. of Martinsville. Keesee Fund trustees signed a covenant with the college, agreeing to provide $200,000 to award scholarships to Virginia Intermont students from Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Up to $5,000 annually per student will be awarded. The fund was established in 1941 by entrepreneur Charles B. Keesee, who spent most of his life in Martinsville, where he was successful in banking and the tobacco and granite industries. He started the fund with $75,000 and it has grown to distribute more than $2 million annually to students enrolled at Baptist-affiliated colleges, seminaries and academies.
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Samuel Garrett
Intermont appoints VP. Virginia Intermont College has appointed Samuel Garrett of Gate City as vice president for advancement. A native of Livingston, Tenn., Garrett has more than 13 years' experience in non-profit fund raising, and recently served as director of development at Colorado Christian University. “Sam brings an excellent record of leadership and fundraising to VI,” Virginia Intermont College president Michael Puglisi said. “His personal
philosophy meshes perfectly with our renewed emphasis on values-based education. I am confident that he will be a valuable asset to our team.” Garrett's diverse background blends work in the non-profit sector with numerous entrepreneurial ventures. His undergraduate work was in organizational management at Colorado Christian University, and he is a candidate for the MBA program at Taylor University in Indiana. “VI has strengthened this region, enriched this community and educated and inspired students for 124 years,” Garrett said. “I am honored to be a part of VI's growing legacy.”
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