Capital Campaign ends with hearts full of gratitude
Much of this issue of Charity & Children is devoted to the thrilling victory celebration of our just-completed Sharing Hope. . .Changing Lives Capital Campaign (SHCL). It’s been a three-year marathon that had many of us traversing The Old North State in search of friends, food, fun, fellowship, and funds. We secured all five. . .and then some.
Campaign directors Jerry and Evon Jordan deserve special credit for attending many of the campaign events. Jerry also served as Board Chair during 2015, doubling-up on his duties. Evon offered encouragement and support to staff members and volunteers. They were the perfect co-chairs for SHCL.
These last three years have been like a 36-month gestation period that resulted in the birth of new hope, the sweet smell of success, the lighting of the torch, the sprint across the finish line and center stage in the winner’s circle, the gold medal around our necks.
Truly, it was a good feeling to see the amazing victory numbers revealed (See page 6&7). There was an audible gasp and much applause when the campaign team met September 20 in celebration of the record amount raised and pledged.
But, it was an earned feeling because of hard work, strong leadership and a fierce commitment to sharing hope...changing lives.
Many of us have been in living rooms, dining rooms, board rooms, and church rooms. We’ve been in kitchens, country clubs, restaurants, hotels, and motels. We’ve been on highways we’d never heard of and taken predawn excursions for meetings and midnight drives returning home.
You don’t have a capital campaign while sitting behind a desk. Volunteers hosted scores of meetings and events where we proclaimed the vision and dream of SHCL. My debt of gratitude knows no bounds: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. And, oh, by the way – THANK YOU.
We’ve seen the power of true grit in our children: grit – they take a hit but never quit; grit – knock ‘em down and they rebound. And, we saw adults experience the power of the Holy Spirit through personal forgiveness and abundant salvation.
We saw servant leadership – both staff and volunteer – step forth boldly to say, “Here am I, send me.” And, we sent – and they went – not just into places of comfort and convenience, but into the nooks and crannies of all 100 counties.
We’ve developed thousands – yes, thousands – of new friends and dedicated volunteers. The name of Baptist Children’s Homes is both whispered in awe and shouted with pride. People who like being part of making life better for babies, children, youth, aging adults, and families in crisis have come to the right place. Pull up a chair. Have a seat. There’s always room at the table for one more.
The dream of John Mills, our Founder, continues. It is an illuminating dream that shines brighter today than ever. And thanks to the Sharing Hope... Changing Lives campaign, that dream will never die.
It's not too late for you to contribute to the Sharing Hope ... Changing Lives campaign. There are many ways you can give, such as a five-year pledge, gifts of cash, stocks, real estate, life insurance, life income plans such as gift annuities, gifts in kind, or through a bequest. Your gift can be designated for a particular campus or a particular need. For more information, contact Brenda Gray, at 336-474-1230 or bbgray@bchfamily.org