By Msgr. Noel Burtenshaw

Rawson Haverty is campaign chairman for Campaign ’83. You will note that the position is not honorary. The dynamic mover of the famed Southern furniture company is the working head of this financial drive – the first of its kind in almost 20 years.

“We need the money,” says Haverty in his spacious, but practical office at Haverty headquarters on West Peachtree Street. “The Catholic community in this part of Georgia has always built and run its own facilities. And it has raised the money from its own resources. Now we see more needs. It is time to rally again.”

Rawson Haverty can speak about the historical presence of the Catholic community. His family has been located in Atlanta since Thomas Haverty stepped off the immigrant boat in 1854. The Havertys have been long standing, active members of Sacred Heart, Christ the King and Holy Spirit parishes.

“The Catholic families of our archdiocese can look back with pride on the institutions we have built that continue to serve our communities,” says Haverty. “We are proud of the work of Father Thomas O’Reilly back in the Civil Ware era and we are proud of the monument that the city has erected to him on the grounds of City Hall. We are likewise proud of the Cancer Home, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Ignatius House, our parochial schools, Marist and so many institutions Catholics have built, staffed and supported over the years. Even though we have been small, we have been active.”

But, Haverty notes, from piles of statistics heaped on his desk, more and more Catholics are moving into the North Georgia area. There are new responsibilities we must undertake and they won’t wait much longer.

The Archbishop reminded our committee,” says Haverty, “that in his 15 years as head of the archdiocese no major fund drive has been initiated. If good facilities are to provide better services and new facilities are to begin needed outreach, then the TIME IS NOW.”

Having made that point with decided emphasis, Haverty is ready to lunge into a discourse on the needs. He certainly sees them clearly. And he believes in them just as clearly.

St. Pius is first on his mind. “It is our only archdiocese high school. It is doing a whale of a job. It is praised by everyone. It has to expand. It lacks adequate space. Pi Hi has got to improve its facilities.”

“Then the Georgia Tech center is a must. I was amazed to know that 20 percent of the student body is Catholic. We have been operating out of meager facilities, just a little house. We need the center. It’s a must.”

He goes on expounding on his beliefs. “I have said that Catholics have always taken care of our own facilities. Our senior citizens are ours. We need to take care of them. We have the chance as we convert convent buildings that are vacant.”

“And then the scholarship funds to our inner city schools will help families use those schools even though tuition costs rise, and today they must rise.”

Those are the projects Rawson Haverty, working chairman of the campaign, has set his sights on completing. “It’s a big job, a tall order,” he says. “I just know we can do it and the figures are beginning to agree.”

The Campaign goal is $7.2 million. Of that, $4.5 million is to come from the people in our parishes; $2.7 million will be raised from foundations and special individuals. And what is the present picture of the financial situation?

“I believe we are on target,” says an enthusiastic Haverty. “Of the $2.7 million almost two million has at this moment been pledged or paid by foundations and others. That is good when you consider our projects will primarily serve our own Catholic people. Also, let us remember that many foundations have adjourned for the summer and will consider our requests in the fall. So more will come.”

“Then of the $4.5 million we are seeking from our parishes,” he goes on, “we have already received lead gifts and pledges in the amount of over $450,000 and we have not officially kicked off the Campaign yet. So we are moving.”

Haverty is now rolling up his sleeves to enter the next phase of the Campaign. “This is the important one,” says the experienced financier. “We now bring the Campaign to our Catholic family. We depend on our priests, our pastors and their finance boards to help us communicate the need. We will have our kickoff meeting at St. Pius on Wednesday, Sept. 21. We are asking every parish to participate. I believe we will all want to be a part and make a success of this grand effort. It will fulfill great needs.”

“By the way,” notes this campaign chairman, “we will be of help to every parish. Both the committee and the Chancery staff want to be of immediate service to parishes who want us. We already have produced a slide show that pastors and parish boards can borrow and use. It is first class. Excellent. I hope they use it.”

So where does the campaign go from here? “We are all set to begin,” says Haverty. “The pastors and boards will get all the information on the 21^st. We have already been in touch with the pastors at a lunch meeting. We need to show our projects to our parishes and ask each family to be a part of the campaign through the donation of a gift or through the pledge of a gift.”

“That pledge can be paid off over a three-year period – that is, the donation can be divided into three equal parts. For example, the pledge of $1,000 would be payable $333 annually or $83 a quarter or $28 a month. A pledge of $500 would be payable $169 annually, $42 a quarter or $14 a month.”

“We hope,” says Haverty, “that our people will give a lot of thought to their part in this archdiocesan project. For example, while businesses may not give a donation to a project like ours, they will often match or even double what an employee gives. So maybe the best way to redeem a pledge is through an employer. Certainly every effort will help.”

We will be hearing lots more from this Catholic leader on this campaign and on other Catholic projects through the years. Rawson Haverty certainly has the talent to lead. He also has the dedication. The time, somehow or other, he finds and gladly gives. “Together, working and giving,” he says, “we can make a success of this important work.”