The Foundation of Wayne Community College held its 32nd annual Invitational to contribute toward student success.
This year’s event produced $194,500 for tuition scholarships and program and facility enhancements for the College. The funds came from Invitational sponsors, online and in-person auctions, a golf tournament and inaugural pickleball tournament, a putting contest, and a 50/50 drawing.
“I am thrilled with the continued success of this event,” said Executive Director of the Foundation of WCC Emily Byrd. “The support we receive each year showcases the generous spirit of those within our community. When you invest in the Foundation of Wayne Community College, I can guarantee you that you are changing someone’s life because I see it every day.”
The Invitational was founded in 1993 by Dillon Wooten of Wooten Development Company. Since its inception, it has raised over $3 million and remains the most successful golf tournament in the North Carolina Community College System.
Byrd is thankful for the sponsors, auction donors, volunteers, and participants of this year’s event, which was held at Walnut Creek Country Club. “I also want to say a special thank you to Joe Garner, chair of our Invitational committee, for his dedication and hard work. We couldn’t do it without him,” she said.
WCC student Mario Lopez spoke at the Invitational’s dinner auction about the opportunities he has had through the College. Lopez is involved in many clubs and programs at WCC and believes that the College has prepared him for success as he plans to continue his education at North Carolina State University.
“The people around me here have allowed me to grow as a leader, as a student, and as a person overall. On behalf of the students, thank you for your support in empowering individuals, in strengthening communities, and building a better tomorrow at Wayne Community College,” Lopez told the dinner auction attendees.
More than 100 businesses and individuals served as sponsors for this year’s tournament at various financial levels while others donated items for the auctions.
This year’s event sponsors were:
Invitational Sponsor: Jackson and Sons Heating and Air Conditioning
Pickleball Tournament Sponsor: Mount Olive Pickle Company
Diamond Sponsors: Benton & Sons Fabrication, Georgia-Pacific, Bonnie and Bill Hunter, and R.A. Bryan Foundation Inc.
Platinum Sponsors: Wooten Development Company, Alta Foods LLC, Seymour Funeral Home and Cremation Service Inc., Southern Bank, Piedmont Natural Gas, Deacon Jones Auto Group, Wayne UNC Health Care, Allen Grading Company, Beacon Roofing Supply, Ryerson, Precision Plumbing, Case Farms, Truist, Sport Durst Mazda of Goldsboro, Seegars Fence Company, AP Exhaust Products, Fran and Larry Boyce, Wayne Foundation, Franklin Baking Company, and Walnut Creek Senior Player Group
Gold Sponsors: Arnold Wilbert Vault, Baker Pipe & Parts LLC, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services McMillen & Associates Realty, Carol and Al Takemoto, First Bank, Goldsboro Builders Supply, Haithcock, Barfield, Hulse and King PLLC, Horne Moving Systems Inc., Jerry Tysinger, KS Bank, LaFevers Dental Team, McLamb Wellness & Aesthetics, Moseley Architects, Professional Data Management Inc., Quality Inn, Sherry and Beecher Smith, Skill Creations Inc., Towne Insurance, and Wayne Realty & Insurance Co. Inc.
Silver Sponsors: A+ Towing, AES Insulation & Services, Baddour, Parker, Hine & Hale PC, Banks, Gray & Crumpler PLLC, Beth and Jack Kannan, Builders Discount Center, Carolina Family Pool & Patio, Carr, Riggs & Ingram, Civella Beauty Academy, Convenient Glass Service Inc., Cottle Strawberry Nursery Inc., Daniels and Daniels Construction Company Inc., Eagles Properties Inc., Estelle and John Jennings, Everett, Womble & Lawrence LLP, First Tee Golf Shop, FundFive LLC, Goldsboro Physical Therapy & Wellness, Griffin Exterminating Company, Group W. Management, Hettie and Al Grisette, Hwy55 Charitable Foundation, Institutional Interiors, Landscape Design of Goldsboro Inc., McArthur Properties of Goldsboro, NC Farm Bureau Insurance, Steve Sutton Agent, North Carolina Community Federal Credit Union, Nunn, Brashear & Uzzell PA, Porter Group Real Estate, Sami and Joe Garner, Southeastern Medical Oncology Center, Strickland Insurance Brokers Inc., Team Chevrolet, Warren, Kerr, Walston, Taylor & Smith LLP, and Worrell Contracting Co. Inc.
Bronze Sponsors: B&R Septic, Barbour Brothers, Cathy and Deepak Cuddapah, Cox-Edwards Company, Democko Chiropractic, Down Home Realty and Property Management Inc., George Whitfield, Hill’s Tire & Auto Service, Hine Sitework Inc., Interior Systems, JP Jones Inc., Magical Vacation Planner by Ashley and Chris Stroud, NC Farm Bureau Insurance, James Kornegay Agent, Premiere Carpets, Sasser Golf Cars Inc., State Employees’ Credit Union – Ash Street, State Employees’ Credit Union – Wayne Memorial Drive, Statewide Realty, Sutton’s Safety Shoes Inc., The Mega Force Staffing Group Inc., and Waynesboro Family Clinic
Blue Sponsors: Coca-Cola, Culligan, Pepsi Bottling Ventures, and Southco Distributing
Invitational Dinner Sponsor: Janney Montgomery Scott LLC
Invitational Breakfast Sponsor: Bison Bistro
Invitational Lunch Sponsor: Chick-fil-A
Invitational Dessert Sponsor: Kim Boswell
About the Foundation of WCC
The Foundation of WCC is a nonprofit organization that works to broaden the base of community support for educational opportunities at the College. It funds program and facility enhancements, provides employee recognition, offers cultural programs for the community, and awards scholarships.
About Wayne Community College
Wayne Community College is a public, learning-centered institution with an open-door admission policy located in Goldsboro, N.C. As it works to develop a highly skilled and competitive workforce, the college serves around 10,000 individuals annually as well as businesses, industry, and community organizations with high quality, affordable, accessible learning opportunities, including more than 150 college credit programs. WCC’s mission is to meet the educational, training, and cultural needs of the communities it serves.