MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Our Women’s Giving Circle was formed just over three years ago, and we have more than 130 members with diverse backgrounds, activities, and accomplishments.  Our common bonds are our interests in philanthropy and our desire to advance our community.  Each newsletter will continue to spotlight one or more WGC members, and this month Margaret Dickson and Tammy Laurence, our new co-chairs, are our focus.

  

Margaret Dickson is a native of Fayetteville and spent most of her working career in her family business, Cape Fear Broadcasting Company.  When the business was sold in 2001, she ran for the North Carolina House of Representatives where she served 7 years and was then appointed to the state Senate to complete an unexpired term. 

Margaret is proud of our community and has served on the boards of a number of local organizations, including the Cumberland Community Foundation, the Cumberland County Education Foundation, the Fayetteville State University Foundation, the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce, which presented her its Athena Award in 2007.  She is a founding member of the Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County.  Margaret is the mother of three young adults and is blessed with a lovely daughter in law.

Margaret encourages women to participate in community life, particularly political participation, and believe that the WGCCC fills an important need.  She says she looks forward to working with the membership to grow our organization in the coming year. 

Tammy Laurence believes you can tell a lot about a person based on bumper stickers and personalized license plates- her license plate says “Kids First.”   She says, “If you want to know the health of a community, look at how it cares for the kids.”  She believes Fayetteville is a wonderful community for children and families, and after many travels as a military spouse is glad to call Fayetteville home.  
 
Tammy is the mother of three grown children and two adorable grandsons, and has spent over twenty-five years working to better children’s lives. Formerly the executive director for the local Child Advocacy Center, and prior to settling in Fayetteville, she was the executive director for the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program for Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties in New York. Her work for military children was recognized when she received the Novella Gibson Whitehead award for spearheading efforts to pass legislation to provide the WIC program overseas for military families, and ensured that the program was implemented.
   
Currently Tammy is the president of NP Soar LLC, a consulting firm specializing in capacity building for nonprofits. She is a member of the International Association for Fundraising Professionals, the Association of Fundraising Professionals Triangle, and several local professional associations.