Friends of the Lion

 

Friends of the Lion 2010

Each year First Baptist Academy (FBA) is pleased to host our Friends of the Lion Banquet.  This event is an opportunity for people to hear first hand what God is doing on our campus.  The evening includes a meal, testimonies, student entertainment and a challenge from a guest speaker to financially support the Academy. Last year’s banquet featured Dr. Paul Dixon, Chancellor of Cedarville University in Cedarville, Ohio.  Over 250 people were in attendance and over $382,000 to date was raised for the Annual and Financial Aid Funds (see below).  Our next Friends of the Lion Banquet is scheduled for Thursday, March 11th, at 6:30 p.m.  Dr. Gary Chapman, Author of The Five Love Languages is our speaker.  For more information on this event please call Rhonda Wright at (239) 596-8600, extension 229.

A special thank you to our corporate sponsors

Troy Baker, Allstate Insurance

David Vallieres, Merrill Lynch

Bertram Total Joint Centers

Carleton Case, Brown & Brown Benefits

Hole Montes & Associates

Ivan Zwick, Raymond James and Associates

 

 

First Baptist Academy 7th Annual Friends of the Lion Banquet will feature an unprecedented live and silent auction benefiting the financial aid fund for FBA student. Click Here for more information and to preview items that will be available at the auction.

 

Purchase your Friends of the Lion ticket(s) now for $50 each by clicking on "Add To Cart" below.

 

 

Friends of the Lion 2009

Contributions to the 2009 “Friends of the Lion” Banquet (including donations, sponsorships and pledges) were $382,607.  The categories of giving for the were focused in the areas of the Annual Fund and Financial Aid.

 

Annual Fund

The Annual Fund collected $220,147 in donations.  The primary purpose of this fund is to allow flexibility in purchasing supplies or funding events that would not otherwise be available in the general operating budget.

 

Financial Aid and Partnership Grants

$133,660 to date was collected in 2009, and is being used to fund financial assistance to FBA families, compared to $94,850 from giving in 2008.  This fund supplements the budgeted allowance, thus increasing our ability to meet the growing needs of families who need assistance to attend FBA. The Financial Aid awards totaled $520,012 and the breakdown for 2009-2010 is as follows: In 2008-2009, over 23% of our student body received some financial assistance. In 2009-2010, the percentage of our student body requiring assistance has increased to 28%. The average award given this year is $3,662 as compared to $2,948 last year.  This area of giving will be an ongoing need for FBA as the need per child and the number of students at FBA requiring assistance increases yearly.  Our expected need for the Financial Aid Fund for the 2010-2011 school year is $600,000 and growing.  The financial needs for aid not met through Friends of the Lion are met through the generosity of privately solicited donors.