Another New School Year Has Begun at Cary Academy, the 13Th for Our Institution

September 4, 2009

Dear Parents:

Another new academic year has begun at Cary Academy — the 13th for our school.Our children are back with their friends and in the hands of our capable faculty at the school they love.

Just this past week we noted the passing of Lewis Holding, the patriarch of the First Citizens Banking family. We did not know him personally, but the News and Observer catalogued his many business accomplishments and personal integrity over a 50-year career. What we did note in his personal obituary was his commitment to another local independent school over a long period of time. While Cary Academy is a relatively new school, other schools with a longer history can look back and see that individuals really do make a difference in the life of a school. It’s so much more than enrolling our children and sending our tuition.

In taking on the role for another year as leaders of the Cary Academy Fund, the annual campaign for our school, we wonder how others will look back on these formative years for Cary Academy 50 and 100 years from now. To us the most tangible way for any parent, grandparent, alumnus or friend of the school to contribute in a meaningful way to the programs that make Cary Academy unique and vibrant is through the Cary Academy Fund, which impacts our children now. We trust the leaders of the school to use these funds to develop the new academic and extracurricular programs which in turn have allowed Cary Academy students to be challenged and to excel in competition with other schools in the area and across the country. Some of these stories are shared in the enclosed brochure.

Last year the theme of our letter to the Cary Academy community about the CA Fund was: “Give what you can in these uncertain economic times.” Whatever your situation, we repeat our statement of a year ago: “When you consider philanthropic giving this year – whether it be to your house of worship, favorite charity, political candidate, college or other cause – please continue to make the Cary Academy Fund a priority. Participation by all families is the focus, not necessarily the amount of the gift. To encourage the importance of family participation, each advisory/enrichment will be recognized when 100% participation is reached.

As leaders of the annual campaign, we are committed to working with all of the CA community to leave a legacy of quality for our children. We look forward to meeting many of you during the upcoming year and thank youin advance for your contributions to the Cary Academy Fund.

Sincerely,

Mark Graham

Laneta Dorflinger