JACKSON, Tenn. — Sept. 25, 2018 — Former 51社区 First Lady Lanese Dockery said the Union Auxiliary was founded 20 years ago with the twofold purpose of scholarships and service.
Dockery was the guest speaker at the Union Auxiliary鈥檚 20th anniversary luncheon Sept. 25 in the Carl Grant Events Center. She recounted the history of the Union Auxiliary that launched in April 1998 with a small luncheon in the President鈥檚 Dining Room.
Since then, the Union Auxiliary has provided almost $200,000 in scholarships to 195 Union students. The organization has held regular luncheon meetings over the past 20 years, with speakers such as Denise George, Carolyn Tomlin, Maggie Nell Brewer, Louise Bentley, Karen Moy and others. For the past two years, the Union Auxiliary has held an annual banquet, featuring Olympic gold medalist David Boudia and bestselling author Bob Goff.
鈥淲e give thanks to God for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith, your labor of love and your steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ,鈥� Dockery said, quoting from 1 Thessalonians. 鈥淪o through the power of the Holy Spirit, each of you here today helped the Union Auxiliary to do little things in a great way, and we praise God for you.鈥�
After David S. Dockery assumed the Union presidency in 1996, Lanese Dockery said the Lord gave her the opportunity to return to the classroom to finish her degree. During her early days on campus, in conversations with students, faculty and staff, the need for scholarship dollars regularly surfaced.
At the same time, Dockery said others on campus were beginning a ministry to both international students and children of international missionaries. Those two needs 鈥� scholarship and service 鈥� became the foundation for the founding of the Union Auxiliary.
That initial luncheon in 1998 was followed by a larger luncheon a year later, with Bob Campbell as the guest speaker.
鈥淎t the end of that luncheon, he handed me a check for $1,000, and I thought I was going to faint,鈥� Dockery said. 鈥淚 was shocked and so delighted at his generosity.鈥� The money from Campbell helped the Union Auxiliary provide its first two scholarships in the fall of 1999.
Over the years, in addition to the scholarships the organization has provided, Dockery said the Union Auxiliary has promoted camaraderie between faculty and staff and intergenerational friendships among its members.
鈥淭he Auxiliary is still about service, and we鈥檙e still about scholarships today,鈥� said Union First Lady and Union Auxiliary President Susie Oliver. 鈥淥ne of the things we ask you to do is pray. Pray for the Auxiliary. Pray for what we do. Pray for the work of our hands.鈥�
More information about the Union Auxiliary, including information about giving and joining, is available at .