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Press Releases » Montreat Conference Center Surpasses $20 Million Endowment Goal
Montreat Conference Center Surpasses $20 Million Endowment Goal
![[l-r] Bill Straughan, Gilmour Lake, and Anne Straughan look to Sissy Jones who announced an additional $627,000 gift to establish the Anne and Bill Straughan Endowment at the third annual Montreat Conference Center Firefly Dinner](http://www.montreat.org/images/164.jpg "[l-r] Bill Straughan, Gilmour Lake, and Anne Straughan look to Sissy Jones who announced an additional $627,000 gift to establish the Anne and Bill Straughan Endowment at the third annual Montreat Conference Center Firefly Dinner")
“The generosity of those who love Montreat and believe in the mission of the conference center is truly astounding,” said J. Gilmour Lake, chairman of the Montreat Campaign for Endowment. “It is my honor to announce that we exceeded our endowment campaign goal of $20 million. We have gifts and pledges to date of more than $21 million,” Lake said.
“Achievement of this goal will shine as one of the turning points for this place we love,” said conference center president, George F. Barber, III.
Moving the mark even higher for the endowment, the Morgan Foundation of Laurel Hill, NC, announced a $1 million challenge gift for the conference center’s unequaled youth ministry. “I urge you to give to the endowment,” said Jim Morgan. “When you give a dollar, it is really two dollars. When you give a hundred dollars, it is two hundred dollars,” he continued. The Morgan gift raises the value of the campaign to $22 million. The Morgan family lifetime devotion to the conference center’s ministry has seen multiple generations serve on the Mountain Retreat Association’s (MRA) board of directors. Jim Morgan and his father have served and now, Jim’s sister, Elise Morgan, is a member of the MRA governing board.
The third annual “Firefly Dinner” was the setting for this historic announcement. In three years the conference center’s endowment grew from $5 million to $21 million under the leadership of Montreat’s Development Foundation Board, with J. Gilmour Lake as its chairman and J. William “Bill” Straughan its executive director. “Early generations of Montreaters carried little lanterns called ‘fireflies’ to light their way home after dark from the evening conference center activities,” said Straughan. “The person carrying the firefly would lift it high, banishing the shadows for everyone and lighting the way with a warm circle of light. The tradition seemed a fitting one to recognize those who wanted to keep the light of the Montreat Conference Center alive for future generations by giving to endowment.”
Created three years ago, the Firefly Society celebrated its first major achievement by recognizing the 350 donors who met the challenge. Certificates were given to J. Gilmour and Nancy Lake, James D. Galloway, Jr., Gayden R. Jones, and the Morgan Foundation for their gifts of $1 million or more to this unprecedented effort.
“This is a wonderful beginning,” said Lake. “Much, however, still lies ahead. Through this campaign for endowment, we ensure Montreat’s ministry for generations to come. I have enormous confidence in what the future holds for this ‘place set apart’ as I meet with people who want to build on this strong foundation and give to the endowment. I want to encourage everyone who believes in the future of the Presbyterian Church (USA) to give to the ministry here. These young people come to Montreat for the conferences or to work on the summer staff and they leave changed individuals—they are better people for our church and our world.”
Believing in the ministry and grateful for the dedication of their friends J. William “Bill” and Anne Straughan to the ministry, friends of the Straughans set the tone for additional giving to the endowment by making a contribution of $627,500 to establish the Anne and Bill Straughan unrestricted endowment. “It is our way to say ‘thank you’ to Bill and his wife Anne for their commitment to the ministry of the conference center and Bill’s tireless dedication to building a strong financial foundation for its ministry to flourish for years to come,” said MRA board member Sissy Jones.
The culmination of the evening was the auction of the custom-crafted and numbered lidded jars by Black Mountain artist, Maud Boleman, which produced an additional $44,000 for the endowment.
Serving upwards of 10,000 middle school, senior high, and college age young people each year, “Montreat is one of the single most important ministries of the Presbyterian Church (USA),” said John Richardson, Vice President of Development for the conference center. “Montreat touches more lives each year than any other ministry in our denomination. If you want to feel good about the future of the church and have confidence that God’s spirit is moving in our young people come to Montreat in the summer.”