Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, October 3, 1995 TAG: 9510030104
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: TODD JACKSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ROCKY MOUNT LENGTH: Medium
Robie Wayne is a consultant who raises money for a living.
His Minnesota-based company is helping with a capital campaign to build a $4 million YMCA building in Franklin County.
At the beginning of a dinner for the YMCA's inner circle Monday night, Wayne was asked how he'd assess the fund-raising effort to date.
"It's a little too early to grade it," he said, "but I think you'll be surprised when you find out how much money that's been raised so far."
A few minutes later, Sid Mason, retired owner of Virginia Apparel and treasurer of the YMCA's board of directors, revealed the results of a donation drive that involved only the 25 community leaders that make up the inner circle.
The goal was $1 million.
The YMCA got $1.34 million.
Mason and others say it's the most money that's ever been raised in Franklin County for a privately funded capital project.
The last major effort that involved private donations was the renovation of Franklin Memorial Hospital several years ago.
The hospital's administrator, Bud Thompson, a member of the YMCA's board of directors, said the hospital campaign netted a total of $1.25 million.
"The amount of money raised for the Y so far shows how much community support is behind it," he said.
Russ Merritt, the YMCA's director, said he asked the 25 leaders to make "stretch contributions."
"We asked them to give what they could give - and you have to remember that these people are giving to Habitat for Humanity, their churches, and other organizations - and then we asked them to give a little more."
Merritt said a handful of the community leaders contributed the bulk of the money.
Several committees will now try to raise the remaining $2.7 million by next spring.
Before Mason's announcement, board member Clyde Perdue unveiled a model of the new Franklin County YMCA designed by Hayes Seay Mattern & Mattern of Roanoke.
The building - to be located off North Main Street - will include two gymnasiums and one of the largest indoor pools west of Charlottesville.
by CNB