FRIDAY’S RIDGE VIEW
MARCH 21, 2008

The President of Oak Ridge Military Academy, Dr. Roy Berwick, recently returned from the annual convention of all of the military colleges and schools in the United States and Canada. During this meeting, Dr. Berwick spoke of the successes our Academy has enjoyed during the past twelve months. Parents have felt the evermore increasing costs of a private school education. Some private schools are suffering severe declines in enrollment. Dr. Berwick outlined things he feels has helped our academy weather some of the economic worries. He gave some interesting points that may offer some glimmer of hope for those schools a little less fortunate than ORMA. I believe this was Dr. Berwick's lenitive effort to guide the headmasters of some of the secondary military schools toward adopting a few of the crucial elements that have led The Ridge through many decades.

"With the Federal Government finally approving interest cuts that have been anticipated for months, the recent credit slump may loosen its' tight grip on the real estate and housing market. This may - or may not - thwart us away from a recession. Either way, we must realize that our parents, as well as our school, will face tough times ahead. Further, all of us must work together to ride-out this obvious economic slump. The smart strategy may be to acknowledge the parental concerns and then angle a campaign to why a military school education is a long-term profitable investment. The fact that we - as an institution - are up front about economic conditions will likely help establish trust. Our parents appreciate the fact that our school understands their concerns; and, that we are trying to offer solutions that will assist them in coping with the temporary economic conditions," reported Dr. Berwick. In summary, Dr. Berwick’s message was that our slow economy affects parents and schools. This means that schools who demonstrate a clear value for the money are in the best position to obtain new enrollments and generate re-enrollments, which equals more revenue.

Oak Ridge Military Academy proudly presents the “Gold Star Affair” ……………

Dear Parents, Families and Friends of ORMA,

Oak Ridge Military Academy proudly presents the “Gold Star Affair” Silent and Live Auction. You are cordially invited to join us on Saturday, May 10th from 5 pm – 10 pm. The silent auction will begin at 6 pm, along with casino gaming. For a $5 donation, you will receive $5,000 in “casino gaming chips” to have fun with. Additional chips will be available for a donation. Door prizes will be awarded to the “top 3” people who end up with the most “winnings”. The live auction will begin around 8 pm. Our goal is to have every one checked out with their items and on the way home no later than 10 pm.

Please consider many ways in which you can get involved with the 2008 ORMA Auction. The money raised from this event will help us complete the installation of a security camera system. We hope to raise enough money to purchase a piece of equipment to track visitors who come on campus. Your help, support, and attendance is definitely needed in order to make this a successful weekend. Listed below are several ways that you can get involved:

Solicit items from your hometown or the area in which you live. If every family member solicited and contributed one or two items, we would be in great shape. Items such as decor items, household items, etc; this list is endless. Volunteer your time. We need an Event Chair, Event Committee Members, and several Volunteers to help set up and work during the auction. Plan to attend the auction. Your attendance and support is critical to this event. We are also inviting alumni and families, as well as our community neighbors.

Your attendance will be greatly appreciated! Give us your ideas as to who we should contact for items. We had some great items last year. I want to ensure this year’s event is taken to the next level and far surpasses $17,000; which is what we raised in 2007. Donations made by parents will be recognized in our Auction Program, as well as our Annual Honor Roll of Donors, and in our Oak Leaf Magazine. If you have any questions, please contact Terrill M. Sandiford, Director of Development and Alumni Affairs.