Retiree Brunch
Publish Date: June 22, 2023
Close to two dozen Crafton Hills College retirees enjoyed a brunch hosted by the CHC Foundation in the Crafton Center on June 22.
CHC President Kevin Horan welcomed attendees and reported on plans for new buildings on campus in the next few years, including a new Finkelstein Performing Arts Center, which will include a theater, practice rooms, and a recording studio. He also showed plans for a fire science facility that will allow the Fire Academy to offer all its skills classes in one building. He continued explaining how the Foundation provides an important source of funding for the needs of students and especially how it can help students take advantage of opportunities, such as national collegiate theater competition that lead to scholarships at four-year colleges.
Following Horan’s report, attendees were invited to share stories about notable experiences they had while at CHC. Damaris Matthews, who taught reading and headed the learning resource center -- then located on the third floor of the old library building -- recounted how she and her faculty and staff prepared Thanksgiving dinner for the whole campus. Dr. Jim Holbrook commended on the boldness of Judy Giacona, the CHC nurse who headed the Student Health Service, for pioneering safe sex protections for students to prevent STDs, when doing so was controversial.
Ryan Harold, CHC’s interim fire chief, then explained to attendees the needs of students in the College’s Fire Academy and Emergency Medical Technician programs, pointing out that students sitting for the State certifying exams had to shell out over $4,000 for the exam and licensing fee. This sum presents a huge burden on students who have had to attend classes full time and put in many additional hours of on-the-job training.
The CHC Foundation now provides financial assistance to these students but would like to establish a permanent endowment fund to keep this assistance going. CHC Foundation consultant Brent Hunter explained how retirees, who best understand the mission of the College and the needs of its students, can contribute to this fund.
The Foundation now has about half of the one-million-dollar goal needed to fund this endowment through contributions over the past year or so. Hunter went on to explain how retirees can purchase annuities with their savings that will provide them with a relatively high yield on their money and an income stream while they are alive and have the balance of funds go to the Foundation for the endowment at the end of their lives.
The event ended with Director of Institutional Advancement Michelle Riggs thanking participants. And asking for surveys that will help the Foundation plan events of greatest interest to retirees. Retirees also were given CHC’s 50th Anniversary book, which had just been printed.
