Page 31 - Suburban Living Fuquay-Varina

Fuquay-Varina HerosTo that end, Bob and Pat have continued to find ways to donate their time and financial resources to the local community and nationwide. In addition to funding local programs in a variety of areas, the company’s philanthropic focus has shifted into an arena they know very well. Four years ago, they started The Bob Barker Company Foundation, which works to reduce recidivism across the country. Fifty percent of inmates return to prison within three years, and the Bob Barker Company has donated almost half a million dollars to programs that are designed to reduce that figure. Working closely with the criminal justice department head at Campbell University, Cathy Cowling, they have done a great deal of research on what skills inmates need to acquire before they are released and try to find work to support themselves and their families.Inmates are truly hampered in most job searches once they have a conviction on their record, so making sure they can conduct themselves appropriately in society and have the skills to be attractive to employers is critical to helping them become productive. Programs that are designed to assist them with character-building, job interviews, and life skills are key to preventing their eventual return to prison as they give up on mainstream jobs and revert to old habits. The Foundation is slowly making an impact, with the 50% recidivism rate decreasing to as low as 17% in some areas where they have funded inmate preparation programs. The foundation started out in North Carolina, but more recently has begun helping programs across the country.Bob Barker’s current passion, of course, is the Fuquay-Varinacultural arts and convention center project, which he hassupported financially and logistically. His donation of a largewarehouse and its adjacent land for parking has sparkedan outpouring of activity in the community and a renewedappreciation for the growing arts community in Fuquay-Varina. “This project would revolutionize our town,” he explains animatedly. “The impact on our quality of life, let alone the economic impact of bringing visitors here to spend money in our restaurants and hotels, will attract new residents and businesses here overnight. We will become a destination place in Wake County.”The quest to bring a cultural arts and convention center to Fuquay-Varina has been in play for over 20 years, but has recently gained momentum with Bob and Pat’s financial investment in the project. In addition to the donation of property, the Barkers have promised an additional $1 million toward the renovation and$25,000/year toward maintenance costs. The project is estimated at around $15 million, and Bob says they are quietly raising additional funds as they continue to work on logistics. “We expect the town’s investment will be about $5 million of the total, so it is truly going to be a private-public partnership when all is said and done.”When asked about his biggest challenges so far, Bob explains that transferring the ownership of his business to his children ranks right up there. “It’s hard to give up your baby,” he says. The process is an ongoing one, with Bob still heavily involved in the daily operations and planning. He finds satisfaction anda sense of pride, however, in creating an organization that his children and grandchildren can carry forward into the future. With his son and daughter fully engaged in the business, Bob continues to play an active role with the company’s Board of Directors and the Bob Barker Company Foundation, while giving him time to continue his life of service to the community.His story and the story of his family has been chronicled in a book entitled “I’m in Cells,” which can be purchased at the Bob Barker Company headquarters on Main Street, and at the Chamber of Commerce, as well as on Amazon.com. While he is not a “founding father” of Fuquay-Varina, Bob has certainly helped define our community over the last 25 years, and built a legacy that will have a lasting impact on our town for years to come.www.suburbanlivingmag.comSuburban Living Fuquay-Varina | Page 29Bob with fellow Fuquay-Varina Rotarians