SANFORD - The endowments and scholarships at Central Carolina Community College continue to grow, thanks to generous support from community donors.

Among those who have given are Lynda Turbeville and Sam Gaskins of Sanford. The Turbeville/Gaskins Scholarship is given to a City of Sanford employee or their family member to attend the college. The second alternate is for a Veterinary Medicine student.

"We try to return as much as we can to the various communities and charitable organizations with which we are involved," says Sam Gaskins, who serves on the Sanford City Council. "Several years ago, we decided that rather than making numerous contributions to different organizations, we would concentrate more on sponsoring scholarships, especially through college foundations.

"In addition to the opportunity to help others who are trying to improve their lives and the lives of their families, by contributing to foundations, such as the Central Carolina Community College Foundation, every dollar that is contributed is passed along to the students who need the funds. There is no loss to administrative or other fees or expenses," says Gaskins.

"With Lynda's position on the Central Carolina Community College Foundation and my work on the City Council, we chose to include Central Carolina Community College as one where we would sponsor a scholarship and, in particular, because of the connection with the City of Sanford, the scholarships that we have sponsored with CCCC to date have a preference in the selection process to a City of Sanford employee or their immediate family."

Wayne Staton of Sanford is another contributor as a tribute to his brother, the Allyn Staton Scholarship, which is given to students who are Associate of Arts or Associate of Science University Transfer students from Lee County.

"Establishing an endowment at Central Carolina Community is an excellent investment with a good return. I have always felt that anyone who wants an education should be able to get an education. Money should not be an impediment for anyone," says Staton.

"CCCC provides a broad range of educational opportunities at a very reasonable price. Students can train for a career in two years or less, or they can transfer to a four-year college and further their educational goals there. By providing financial aid to a deserving student at CCCC, more than likely a local deserving student, I feel like I am benefitting that individual student and also the community as a whole."

Other new endowments include:

• The Gary G. Allen Scholarship, which was established by Dr. Karen Allen, family and friends in memory of Gary Allen, is for students in the sustainability program on the Chatham County campus.
• The Virginia and L.B. Hester Scholarship, which was established by Virginia Hester in memory of her husband, L.B., is for students in the welding or metal sculpting programs.
• The Howard/James Scholarship, which was established by Dr. Paul Howard and Dr. Barbara James, is for students who are Lee County Boys and Girls Club alumni (residents of Lee and Harnett counties) in Career Technical Education programs.
• The Betty F. Wornom Scholarship, which was established by Sam Wornom and William Wornom in memory of their mother, is for Lee County residents in the RN - Nursing program.

CCCC President Dr. Bud Marchant expressed his appreciation to the college's endowment and scholarship donors. "Our endowments and scholarships are a driving force behind the impact the CCCC Foundation has on the students of this college. We are very grateful to the donors who make this assistance possible," says Marchant. "They believe in this college and what we are trying to do in helping students achieve their academic goals. They help the Foundation change lives. And, that is what we are about - making our community a better place to live through educational opportunities."

Emily Hare, CCCC Foundation Executive Director, said the college is grateful for the support that donors show the college through the establishment of endowments with the CCCC Foundation. "These endowments provide scholarships that change lives and, in turn, impact our communities," says Hare. "We cannot say thank you enough to these generous donors for their commitment to the college and their understanding of how important CCCC is to the region."

The CCCC Foundation currently has approximately 130 endowments. Hare asks anyone who is interested in setting up an endowment to contact her to discuss the donor's desires and wishes and to determine the best fit for their endowment. The minimum to establish an endowment is $10,000.

The CCCC Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization affiliated with, but independent of, Central Carolina Community College. It receives donations of money and equipment on behalf of CCCC and uses them to promote the educational mission of the college and assist students through scholarships and grants.

For information on giving to the Foundation or its fund-raising events, contact Emily Hare, executive director of the CCCC Foundation and Development Office, 919-718-7230 or ehare@cccc.edu. To apply for a scholarship, contact the CCCC Financial Aid Office, 919-718-7229.