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South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind honors Bobby Dobson | GoUpstate.com
The generosity of retired Greenville attorney Bobby Dobson will be forever remembered at the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind. In addition to the students, teachers and programs benefited by Dobson's many contributions throughout the years, the previously unnamed president's house on the SCSDB campus now bears his name.
The nearly 100-year-old house was renamed Wednesday as The Dobson House. School leaders and supporters gathered in the historic home Wednesday morning to honor Dobson's 15 years of service and support, and also to mark reaching a lofty fundraising goal.
Dobson challenged The Walker Foundation — the school's fundraising arm — to raise $500,000 by May. The foundation surpassed the challenge, and Dobson matched the effort with $500,000 of his own money.
Foundation leaders say the money hasn't been earmarked for specific projects, but some of the $1 million will go toward students' scholarships.
"I just realized that it was a special opportunity to help kids who really, really needed it in a very special way and who just weren't going to get it anywhere else," Dobson said of his devotion to the school. "And so if I, and others here in this community and around the state — because it is a statewide school for all the sensory impaired children for the state of South Carolina — if we don't step up and do it, it's not going to get done."
Dobson was first introduced to SCSDB by current Foundation board of trustees member Norman Pulliam, who described his friend as having a "kind heart," "loving spirit" and a "desire to give of himself." In 1995, Dobson honored Pulliam with a major gift to the school, and a year later, Pulliam nominated Dobson to serve on The Walker Foundation board of trustees. He served as chairman from 2000 to 2004 and is still an active member on The Walker Foundation's board, as well as a current member of SCSDB's board of commissioners.
"Because of Bobby's long term commitment to this school — his talent, his financial resources, his leadership — the foundation board of trustees, along with the board of commissioners of the school, felt it only fitting to rename the president's home — which has never had a name other than the president's house — in honor of Bobby's great gifts to this school. And by gifts, I don't mean just monetary — his leadership, his other talents."
SCSDB President Maggie Park lives in newly-christened Dobson House, which was built in the early 1920s.
"I love the thought of living in The Dobson House. The president's house always seemed very cold. ‘The Dobson House' has a very warm feel to it," Park said. "He has been so supportive and so kind. His generosity is just unmatched. This is not the first gift he has given. He is so dedicated to this school and the children of this school."
Dobson said that having his name forever associated with SCSDB is "humbling," and he hopes it will inspire others to give back in their own way. Gifts of time, service and talents are equally needed at the school, he said.
"The real rewards of making a gift like this and the recognition you get those rewards come later on," Dobson said. "I'm pleased that I can perhaps leave a little bit of a legacy for my children and for other people who might be inspired and influenced to help themselves and to go maybe a little bit above and beyond what they may otherwise do."
The generosity of retired Greenville attorney Bobby Dobson will be forever remembered at the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind. In addition to the students, teachers and programs benefited by Dobson's many contributions throughout the years, the previously unnamed president's house on the SCSDB campus now bears his name.
The nearly 100-year-old house was renamed Wednesday as The Dobson House. School leaders and supporters gathered in the historic home Wednesday morning to honor Dobson's 15 years of service and support, and also to mark reaching a lofty fundraising goal.
Dobson challenged The Walker Foundation — the school's fundraising arm — to raise $500,000 by May. The foundation surpassed the challenge, and Dobson matched the effort with $500,000 of his own money.
Foundation leaders say the money hasn't been earmarked for specific projects, but some of the $1 million will go toward students' scholarships.
"I just realized that it was a special opportunity to help kids who really, really needed it in a very special way and who just weren't going to get it anywhere else," Dobson said of his devotion to the school. "And so if I, and others here in this community and around the state — because it is a statewide school for all the sensory impaired children for the state of South Carolina — if we don't step up and do it, it's not going to get done."
Dobson was first introduced to SCSDB by current Foundation board of trustees member Norman Pulliam, who described his friend as having a "kind heart," "loving spirit" and a "desire to give of himself." In 1995, Dobson honored Pulliam with a major gift to the school, and a year later, Pulliam nominated Dobson to serve on The Walker Foundation board of trustees. He served as chairman from 2000 to 2004 and is still an active member on The Walker Foundation's board, as well as a current member of SCSDB's board of commissioners.
"Because of Bobby's long term commitment to this school — his talent, his financial resources, his leadership — the foundation board of trustees, along with the board of commissioners of the school, felt it only fitting to rename the president's home — which has never had a name other than the president's house — in honor of Bobby's great gifts to this school. And by gifts, I don't mean just monetary — his leadership, his other talents."
SCSDB President Maggie Park lives in newly-christened Dobson House, which was built in the early 1920s.
"I love the thought of living in The Dobson House. The president's house always seemed very cold. ‘The Dobson House' has a very warm feel to it," Park said. "He has been so supportive and so kind. His generosity is just unmatched. This is not the first gift he has given. He is so dedicated to this school and the children of this school."
Dobson said that having his name forever associated with SCSDB is "humbling," and he hopes it will inspire others to give back in their own way. Gifts of time, service and talents are equally needed at the school, he said.
"The real rewards of making a gift like this and the recognition you get those rewards come later on," Dobson said. "I'm pleased that I can perhaps leave a little bit of a legacy for my children and for other people who might be inspired and influenced to help themselves and to go maybe a little bit above and beyond what they may otherwise do."