Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 11, 1993 TAG: 9311110284
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG LESMERISES STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The winners were recognized at a luncheon and fund-raiser.
The First Virginia Chapter, with 52 members, is one of two chapters in Virginia. The national organization has 123 chapters. The honorees were selected from nominations sent in by non-profit organizations from across Virginia. They are:
Dan Clifton, executive for the Blue Ridge Mountain Council of the Boy Scouts of America, was named Outstanding Fund-Raising Executive.
Clifton, who joined the Boy Scouts when he was 11, now oversees 17,000 Scouts in 21 counties and nine cities in Central and Western Virginia. Clifton, a resident of southwest Roanoke County, came to the Blue Ridge Mountain Council in 1989. Since then, his fund-raising leadership has helped increase the annual budget from $750,000 to $1.2 million.
He's virtually erased the $200,00 deficit the council had when he arrived, and Friends of Scouting contributions have more than doubled to almost $300,000 in Clifton's tenure.
Tom Robertson, president of Carilion Health System of Roanoke, was named Outstanding Volunteer Fund-Raiser Volunteer. He was chairman of the Renew Roanoke Campaign that raised $7 million from November through January for the restoration of Hotel Roanoke. More than 2,700 individuals and corporations contributed to the drive.
One nomination called Robertson, who lives in Roanoke, a "hands on leader . . . [without whom] the campaign would not have been a success, period."
Forrest Williams, a retired Roanoke businessman, was named Outstanding Philanthropist. He's involved with The Rescue Mission, The Lifeline Foundation and the Raleigh Court United Methodist Church.
He was a trustee of Ferrum College and was named a Trustee Emeritus in 1980. He and his wife Jean, Roanoke residents, established a scholarship fund at Ferrum in 1974.
One of those nominating Williams called him a "true philanthropist, one who seeks no recognition for his many acts of giving."
Christy Williams, a student at Ferrum College, was named Outstanding Young Philanthropist. She spends about 18 hours a week during volunteer work.
The Ferrum junior from Pembroke in Giles County is the student coordinator for the Students Achieving Volunteer Experience program.
Williams is majoring in elementary education and has volunteered at a school. She's facilitated several other projects, including some for the Bloodmobile and the homeless.
Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Virginia was named Outstanding Corporation. It has been a major contributor to the Child Health Investment Partnership, which provides health care to more than 1,000 impoverished children in the Roanoke Valley.
Blue Cross/Blue Shield has given almost $300,000 to the program since 1989 and last year contributed 14 percent of CHIP's budget.
John Berry from BC/BS has also served on the CHIP Board of Directors.
by CNB