������Ƶ

As Bob and Barbara Byrd started to think about their estate planning, it soon became clear ������Ƶ would be a part of it. Bob, a retired hospital administrator and civic and political leader, has a front-row view of how much ������Ƶ has impacted Alamance County. Barbara, an Alamance County native, musician and music teacher, has a long association with ������Ƶ and its Department of Music.

By including ������Ƶ in their estate plan, the Byrds of Burlington, North Carolina, are accomplishing those goals. Future proceeds from their planned gift will support three areas of the university: The Department of Music, ������Ƶ Academy and the “It Takes a Village” Project. ������Ƶ Academy and the Village Project are part of ������Ƶ’s Center for Access and Success. Both programs help students in Alamance County find a pathway to a college education or greater success in secondary education. “I wanted a lot of our assets to go to organizations that make a difference in our community. In my role as a commissioner and on other boards, two of those programs are the Village Project and ������Ƶ Academy,” Bob says.

“������Ƶ is in our community. It’s part of my past. I didn’t go to school there, but I lived here,” Barbara says. “As a piano teacher, I took part in many activities in the music department. I knew a lot of the professors and students. I feel close to that department. And I’m particularly impressed by ������Ƶ Academy.”

Bob is a first-generation college student who graduated from Penn State University. Barbara graduated from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. They are strong advocates for education who have a history of giving to music and ������Ƶ Academy. Their planned gift ensures their generosity will be a part of ������Ƶ’s future as it is counted as part of the $250 million .

Learn how you can make a difference through an estate gift by contacting Elizabeth Read, assistant director of planned giving, at 336-278-7474 or eread@elon.edu.