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Endowments are funds where the money provides long-term support for non-profit organizations, causes and scholarships.

Thanks to Gary and Jenny Fike, the idea to establish an endowment for Stanly Community College’s (SCC) Small Business Center was born. The couple donated $2,500 as seed money to build such a fund to honor a friend’s father who recently passed away.

Entrepreneur and Stanly County native Sammy Burr built and ran a successful business for 35 years. He and his wife Sandy had three daughters, all of whom are entrepreneurs or small business owners.

“Running a small business is challenging, and Sammy seemed to balance his business, family, giving back to the community and serving God with ease,” said Jenny. “When we started our own small business, I often thought about Sammy as inspiration to keep going during the demanding times. What better way to honor his legacy than to build a fund that helps other small businesses in Stanly County have a greater chance to start and succeed.”

At least $15,000 is required to establish an endowment with the SCC Foundation. The Fikes’ dream is that other business owners will join them to grow the fund into an endowment.

“Many small business owners and entrepreneurs need people to come alongside them to help in areas where they are not experts, but that adds to already mounting start-up costs. This fund has the potential to help these businesses become successful and stay successful. It’s exciting to think about the economic impact this fund could have on the communities in Stanly County,” Jenny added.

SCC’s Small Business Center provides support for the development of new businesses and the growth of existing businesses by being a community-based provider of training, counseling and resource information.

To learn more about the SCC Foundation and the Small Business Center Fund, contact Jeania Martin at 704-991-0370 or jmartin8295@stanly.edu.