The Foundation Board of Directors for ASU Mid-South has reported that the Second Annual Tommy Goldsby Memorial Wild Game Dinner & Auction, held on March 11, succeeded in almost doubling its prior year success by raising over $265,000 for local scholarships.
The event, a fund-raising effort in memory of Thomas B. Goldsby, Jr., a Crittenden County businessman who believed in improving access to higher education, was held at the Shop at Mark Pirani Farms just north of Marion.
Created in 2001, the Goldsby Scholarship for Concurrently Enrolled High School Students that allows area 11th and 12th grade high school students to receive both high school and college credit has grown dramatically. To date, 1,728 local students have benefitted from the scholarship and Goldsby Scholars have attended 249 institutions of higher learning and earned over 888 credentials and degrees.
“Our area students are very fortunate to have this opportunity, and we want to make sure that it’s always available,” said Franklin Fogleman, Chairman of the Foundation Board of Directors. “The beauty of the Goldsby scholarship program is that it doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, or who your parents are. Everyone who meets the program qualifications receives the award. We don’t want to ever reach a point where we have to pick and choose who gets the scholarship.”
The 2017 event was only the second year for the Wild Game Dinner & Auction. Foundation board member, G.A. “Bert” Robinson, III chaired the event once again and is over-whelmed with its success, “I couldn’t be more pleased with our results. This event benefits the Thomas B. Goldsby, Jr. Scholarship at ASU Mid-South, a scholarship that has helped so many of our region’s high school students, giving them their first access to college courses at no expense to the families. Collectively, area families have saved millions of tuition dollars through this innovative program since its inception. “
“Tommy was a good friend of mine and was a shining example of philanthropy in this area. His sphere of influence across this region was so broad. But I know how much he and his family believed in access to higher education, and I know he would be proud that this event brings this scholarship to the forefront. His greatest impact on lives across this county was with the Goldsby Scholarship that makes college accessible to our students. We will see the impact of this scholarship on our community for years to come.”
The event also featured live and silent auctions showcasing one-of-a-kind hunting and fishing trips including two Buck Paradise Outfitters Black Bear hunting trips in Canada valued at over $7000. Other items included notable Arkansas art, a fishing trip with Bill Dance, and a trip to Kentucky Bourbon country. Lynn Allen, Caryl Sorrells and Kim Felker chaired the silent auction committee.
Fogleman, noted, “So much of the credit for the event’s success this year has to go to our amazing sponsors. Without their generous support, we could not have achieved all that we achieved in one evening.”
New to this year’s event, was a raffle to win a Polaris® Ranger Crew® XP 900 UTV, donated by Frank Barton of Barton Power Sports, The Big Buck Sponsor of the event.
Duck Commander sponsors for the event include Anderson Culverts, Banded/Avery Outdoors, Baptist Memorial Healthcare Corporation, Mike Bennage Cheverolet, Cooper Glass, Crisp Contractors, Farm Credit MidSouth, Fidelity National Bank, Fogleman Farms, Greenway Equipment, Guaranty Loan & Real Estate, Monsanto, Bert & Connie Robinson and John Stokes.
Tackle Box sponsors include Arkansas Greyhound Kennel Association, A.B. Smith, Big Earl Farms, Cargill, Mike Carlson Farms, Consolidated Grain & Barge, Bill and Becky Deupree, First Community Bank, Flash Market, GreenPoint AG, Jane Hawley & William C. Ayers, Louis Dreyfus Company, Ross Ford Toyota, Caryl & GW Sorrells, Southeastern Insurance Group, Southern States Parts & Equipment, Turrell Flying Service and West Memphis Fence Company.
