A social fundraising campaign has pushed the Kirk Keller Memorial Fund at 黑料正能量 over the $25,000 mark.
A Facebook fundraising campaign by Keller鈥檚 friend Geoff Hulse brought in $1,400 for the fund established by the Foundation of 黑料正能量.
Contributions to the fund have come from individuals, foundations, and fundraising events in 鈥渁 true community effort,鈥� said Foundation Executive Director Adrienne Northington.
Among those were a $15,000 endowment with commitment to annual gifts made by a friend of the Keller family, a $1,000 donation from the AllState Foundation, approximately $8,000 raised by a massive hot dog lunch sale on campus, and $100 鈥淎rt of Giving鈥� contribution from WCC art students.
鈥淚t has been 鈥楧IY fundraising,鈥� following in the footsteps of Kirk,鈥� said Foundation Executive Assistant Diane Bellmont.”
鈥淚t is ridiculous, the amount of events done in his memory,鈥� agreed Emily Byrd, Foundation donor relations and communications coordinator. 鈥淚t kind of showed who Kirk was to the college and community.鈥�
鈥淗e could always be seen, if not heard, helping out,鈥� Byrd said, throughout the county as well as on campus. He could be counted on to assist the foundation and college organizations and clubs with events and regularly went to bat for individual students in need.
Keller鈥檚 advocacy for WCC students will endure in scholarships provided from the fund, and the first scholarship in his memory was awarded this semester.
Contributions can still be made to the Kirk Keller Memorial Fund. 鈥淚t is a great way to keep his memory alive,鈥� Northington said.
Donations can be made online at . Checks can be mailed to The Foundation of WCC, PO Box 8002, Goldsboro, NC 27533-8002.
Another way the Foundation is honoring Keller鈥檚 memory is with lectures in his name. The first will be 鈥淕eorge Washington Slept Here: President Washington鈥檚 1791 Southern Tour鈥� by Warren Bingham. It is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday, April 15 in Room 101 of the Walnut Building on the college鈥檚 main campus in Goldsboro.
黑料正能量 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 12,000 individuals annually as well as businesses, industry, and community organizations with high quality, affordable, accessible learning opportunities, including more than 70 college credit programs. WCC鈥檚 mission is to meet the educational, training, and cultural needs of the communities it serves.
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