Gift to Support New Sports Complex

January 7, 2013

Thanks to a recent gift from the JT-Minnie Maude Charitable Trust, Averett is closer to its goal of building a new sports complex at its North Campus. The $200,000 gift from the trust will fund the press box, which will be named the JT Emerson Press Box in recognition of Emerson and his contributions to the community through establishing the JT-Minnie Maude Charitable Trust.

"This gift will preserve the legacy of sports, fitness and community engagement that Mr. Emerson embodied," said Debbie Flinn, director of development.

The University is continuing to raise money for the sports complex; and, to date, has raised or has pledges of $5.5 million of the $6.5 million needed to begin construction. The new complex will house the football and soccer stadium, an eight lane track and will allow the University to field a women's lacrosse as well as men's and women's track programs in the future. Once the new complex is complete, the University hopes that the facility will be utilized by area athletic teams and organizations.

The construction of a new sports complex is part of the University's $25 million capital campaign, which was announced in late October. For more details about this, and other projects, visit www.averett.edu/campaign.