Last week, a group of prestigious Fayetteville residents came together at the home of Ralph and Linda Huff to celebrate and launch a local $12 million fundraising campaign supporting the new $60 million Medical School in partnership with Methodist University and Cape Fear Valley Medical Center.
Those in attendance were a virtual who's who of Fayetteville residents that have long and impressive records for contributing to Fayetteville's infrastructure and quality of life. These select residents and business leaders continue to give back to the community that has given them so much.
They are pillars of the Fayetteville community who have for decades opened their minds, their hearts, and their wallets for the betterment of our community and all humanity. Out of respect for their privacy, I will not identify them except to say that eight people raised over seven million dollars of their twelve million dollar goal.
Generous and impressive.
The new medical school's potential economic impact on our community is even more impressive. Tens of millions of dollars will be brought into the community to boost our economy, not to mention the addition of hundreds of doctors, medical technicians, and support staff, and more importantly, the addition of much-needed medical services for the area.
This is a win-win-win proposition for Fayetteville/Cumberland County, Cape Fear Valley Health System, and Methodist University. I congratulate CFVHS CEO Mike Nagowski and Methodist University President Stanley Wearden for their vision and leadership in making this a reality.
Of course, projects of this nature and grandeur cannot be accomplished or succeed without the full support and cooperation of local elected officials, business and civic leaders, and residents.
Ralph Huff has successfully rallied the private and business sectors; now, we can only hope the local November elections will provide a higher level of involvement, talent, and competence in our elected officials that will inspire and complement more achievements of this nature.
My only concern is regarding the generous, philanthropic nature of residents, like those assembled at the Huff home. They are considered and respected as Old Fayetteville, and their numbers are dwindling year after year.
Who will replace them? Who will replace their generosity, dedication, and commitment to the future of the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community?
Undoubtedly, Dr. Franklin Clark was on point when he said, "This [the medical school] will elevate our community to a level of sophistication and finally get Fayetteville in the light I think all of us want."
I agree. Now, we have to get there and stay there.
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