Madisonville Messenger

Three of Madisonville Community College's strongest supporters will be recognized Saturday at the annual Kentucky Community and Technical College System's Benefactors' Gala.

The gala at the Lexington Hyatt is intended as a formal thank you to 38 friends of KCTCS, particularly contributors to the Fulfilling the Promise gifts campaign.

Local honorees are Autoliv North America, First Kentucky Bank of Muhlenberg County and Glema Mahr.

The recognition is "not just based on money," said MCC Development Director John Peters. "Of course, the financial generosity of First Kentucky, Glema and Autoliv have made our college a better one."

Autoliv announced a 10-year commitment to MCC's Fulfilling the Promise campaign in March 2004. The pledge -- the largest ever received from a Hopkins County manufacturer -- is designated to the college's Quality Endowment, the No. 1 priority.

Since coming to Hopkins County in 2000, Autoliv has worked closely with MCC's community and economic development department, and was the first industry in Madisonville to use the WorkKeys assessment program.

MCC attributes much of its fundraising success in Muhlenberg County to the efforts of First Kentucky Bank and its board of directors. From 1996-2000, the bank and board members pledged more than $335,000 in support of the Partners in Progress gifts campaign. The bank is one of the college's top 10 donors.

First Kentucky and its employees continue to be supportive of the Muhlenberg campus, which was dedicated in 2001.

Glema Mahr's name has become "synonymous with excellence in arts advocacy throughout the commonwealth," according to the MCC news release. She is the largest contributor to the Friends of the Arts annual fund drive. The college recognized her philanthropic efforts in spring 2000 by renaming its fine arts center in her honor.

Since 1994, she has sponsored the Glema Mahr Chamber Music Series and recently provided a lead gift to Fulfilling the Promise, designated to both the chamber series and the School Counts work force and scholarship program. She also logs more than 200 hours annually as an arts center volunteer and statewide arts advocate.

"These are the types of supporters that help us focus on academic excellence and continue our commitment to students," Peters said.