The seeds of need were planted on April 19, 2009, when Celebrating a Century of Mary Hobbs, (referred to primarily as "the Hobbs Reunion") met in the Frank Family Science auditorium and shared their concerns about, and interest in, the future of Mary Hobbs Hall.
The strong vocal support from those former residents for a renovation of the dorm gave the impetus for Guilford to explore the possibilities and come up with a plan that was feasible and would culminate in a LEED certified building.
By February, 2010, Guilford had designated a staff member in the Advancement Office to spearhead the fundraising effort necessary to make the renovation a reality. Nicole Witten quickly acclimated herself to a world of Hobbits and embarked on a campaign to raise the necessary funds to begin the Mary Hobbs Hall Renovation Project. A letter was sent to the attendees at the 2009 Hobbs Reunion as a beginning effort to gauge financial support for the project. A Fund-raising Committee of former Hobbs residents was assembled to augment this effort. As a result, the fund raising is well underway. A fund raising letter was mailed to as many former residents as possible in mid-December, 2010. At the Jan. 13, 2011 committee meeting, a combination report of pledges and donations amounted to approximately $175,000.
The outreach, of course, is extended to any supporter or friend of Guilford who would like to be a part of this vision to prepare Hobbs Hall for another century of serving Guilford women. If you would like to serve on the Fund-raising Committee, please contact Emily Thompson at 336-316-2855 or ethompso@guilford.edu. Representatives from each year are especially needed.
Current committee members:
1955 - Jane Ott Ballus
1956 - Martha Wellons Dentiste
1958 - Mandy Godwin Lotz
1959 - Becke Blackwell Jones
1962 - Jane Coltrane Norwood
1963 - Brenda Ferguson Stephens
1964 - Carolyn Kirkman Harmon
1964 - Rosemary Budd Lentzen
1967 - Martha Chilton Neas
1969 - Linda Mercer
1970 - Marie Riggs Brown
1971 - Brenda Smith
Gertrude Beal
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