Philanthropy and Pi Kappa Phi
Thomas Sayre, Kappa (UNC-Chapel Hill).
Dr. Iverson Riddle and Thomas Sayre
As Owen served on the North Carolina Governor’s Advocacy Council for Children and Youth, he met Dr. Iverson Riddle, general director of Western Carolina Center, a renowned facility for people with disabilities. They shared a vision for educational advocacy for individuals with disabilities, and the concept of the “School of Advocacy” soon came to be. After discussing the idea with the National Council, they felt the national project needed a hands-on relationship between members and the people they would serve. Owen later met Thomas Sayre, a sculptor at Western Carolina Center. Sayre believed that if people with disabilities were given opportunities to engage in play and creative activities, they could achieve greater independence. Owen saw Sayre’s vision as a perfect match for the hands-on service Pi Kappa Phi sought.
