Our donors

James W. Johnson founded Rex Plastics in Thomasville in a service station building in 1959. By the time he retired in 1987, the company was listed among the top 100 privately owned companies in North Carolina. After retiring to Pinehurst, he became very active with The Healing Garden, Road to Recovery and Phi Beta Kappa. In his spare time he enjoyed traveling, gardening, baking chocolate chip cookies with his grandchildren and playing gin rummy with family and friends. He also enjoyed his luck at the blackjack table. His home was legendary for its Christmas decorations each year and was

In honor of a life filled with light, love, and incredible courage, The Jenessa Kramer Memorial Scholarship has been established by her parents, family, and friends. This scholarship was created to support students who embody Jenessa’s spirit of compassion, resilience, and kindness. Born on October 2, 2013, in Amarillo, Texas, Jenessa Marie Kramer came into the world with a heart full of compassion and a smile that could brighten anyone’s day. She and her sisters joined the Kramer family on November 22, 2017, a day that changed everything. From the moment she walked through the door, she

John and Jo Williams have been advocates of the North Carolina Community College System for many years. Jo was born and grew up in Blowing Rock, NC as the daughter of a teacher and coach with 33 years in the public education system. John was born and grew up in Chapel Hill, NC surrounded by excellent educational opportunities in the public-school system as well as the University. After both graduated from Carolina, their careers took them to Raleigh, Greenville, and then to the Sandhills in 1987. John’s career in banking and his community involvement with the Chamber of Commerce as well as

In many ways John McKean has called Pinehurst home for over 60 years. Mr. McKean has for decades been a leader in the community’s civic, cultural and environmental endeavors. He has been passionate about preserving the longleaf pine forests and supporting conservation in the area. He is also a generous supporter of many worthy causes in the community—including the Sandhills Children Center. Mr. McKean is a Harvard graduate and an attorney. He divides his time between Pinehurst and the Boston area. John McKean has been a friend of Sandhills Community College and its students for over twenty

Josephine LaCaruba Hockman graduated from St. Agnes Hospital School of Nursing in Philadelphia Pa in 1946. She worked in pediatric nursing for 40 years until her retirement from Warren Hospital in Phillipsburg, NJ. Over that period of time she and her husband raised eight children who honor her dedication to the nursing of young children.

The Eckhart’s believe in life long learning! They lived in southern California and retired to Pinehurst to be near family. AJ was a mechanical & nuclear engineer. Judy was an RN working for 20 years in hospitals and 20 years in education as a nursing professor and chairperson of Nursing Education at Palomar Community College. They hope that the nursing scholarship they have created can help others find their own place in the ever rewarding field of Nursing.

In 1993 several residents of the Pinewild community wanted to join a garden club. At that time, it was difficult as existing area clubs had geographical and/or member number restrictions. So, a group of fifteen ladies decided to start a club of their own. Thus, with the help of Jane McPhaul, the Linden Garden Club of Pinewild joined the local Garden Council and became an official North Carolina Garden Club. In the beginning, meetings were held in members’ homes, refreshments were served and programs were presented on gardening, problems with landscaping, arts and crafts workshops, etc. The

Marcia Kay Stewart was a 1968 graduate of Har-Brack High School in Natrona Heights, PA. She also graduated from the New Kensington, PA School of Nursing in 1969. Her RN nursing career spanned over 50 years. She shared her knowledge and expertise with hundreds of students and was instrumental in preparing them for success in a medical career. Most recently, she was a nursing instructor at Bladen Community College and Robeson Community College in North Carolina. Marcia was a native of Pittsburgh, PA and an avid fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers and collector of items bearing their logo.

Mary Jane Knight established this scholarship in loving memory of her son, David Lawrence Knight, following his tragic death in 1995 at only 32 years of age. David was a 1983 graduate of the Landscape Gardening Program at Sandhills Community College. He had owned and operated his own business locally called Knightscape. David Lawrence Knight Endowed Landscape Gardening Memorial Scholarship is awarded to a second-year Landscape Gardening student who has demonstrated an ability to apply academic training. Student must maintain a 2.5 GPA , and a North Carolina resident is preferred. Student