Zetmeir Pledges Additional $50K Gift for LCC Athletic Campaign, Naming of Wrestling Room

Parsons, KS- Sophia Zetmeir, former Parsonian, has pledged an additional $50,000 to support the next phase in Labette Community College Foundation’s Pathways to the Future Capital Campaign. Zetmeir kicked off the campaign in 2019 with the lead gift of $1,000,000. Her newest gift to the Pathways campaign will ensure the goal of naming the new wrestling room the “Jody Thompson Wrestling Room” will be met.

Jody Thompson was the LCC wrestling coach and athletic director for over 30 years. He was one of the most decorated coaches in the LCC Athletic department history. Thompson was the first wrestling coach in addition to serving as athletic director and coaching various other sports such as tennis, cheer and baseball over the years. Since retirement, he has been a member of the Labette Community College Foundation Board, serving two terms from 2006-12 and from 2016 to present. He is also currently the co-chairman of Phase II of the LCC Pathways to the Future Capital Campaign Steering Committee. 

“Sophia’s continued generosity for the LCC athletic campaign is astounding. She is a good friend of the college and to me personally,” said Thompson. “To have the wrestling room in the new Athletic complex as my namesake is humbling. My name might be on the wall, but it’s not about me. It’s about the student athletes I’ve coached, they have made the department what it is today. The LCC Athletic department has always been my passion, this is truly an honor.”

“I have known Jody since he first came to Parsons. He brought with him a sense of humor and a leadership quality that that set the high standards of the wrestling team and the athletic department that are still here today,” said Zetmeir. 

This generous support from Zetmeir will also help the LCC Foundation meet the $500,000 Mabee Challenge Grant requirement. The campaign has raised $5,410,060 for capital, which includes the Mabee Grant. 

“There a still multiple naming opportunities available in the new facility at a wide range of gift amounts,” said Lindi Forbes, Executive Director of the Foundation & Alumni. “For instance, a $1,000 gift can name a tree or bleacher row and the naming opportunities go up from there. We are honored to share the good names of our donors. Those names show the wide support of our project.”

Private support for LCC’s capital campaign can come through outright gifts of cash, bequests, life insurance policies, gifts of real estate, and other giving mechanisms. Individuals or businesses can choose to give in a variety of ways, even to spread out payments up to five years. This makes the giving capacity larger and more feasible for more people. 

LCC must raise $319,839 by January 14, 2021 to earn the grant from the Mabee Foundation of Midland, TX and complete the fundraising goal. LCC capital campaign donations can be made on the website at: http://www.labette.edu/foundation/index.html or with a check made payable to: LCC Foundation, 200 S. 14th Street Parsons, KS 67357. All donations are tax deductible.