PHILANTHROPY
A GIFT THAT GATHERS B Y E M I LY H E D R I C K ’ 7 0
The kick-off for Charles and Katherine Forbes’ love of Guilford College came in 1974, when Charles was hired as an Assistant Football Coach. The College, its students, its faculty and the surrounding community quickly became family. Looking back, it was as if the Forbeses had scored a touchdown. A daisy chain of moves and memories brought the couple back to Greensboro and Guilford College once they decided to retire. After all, like a lot of people, they wanted to be around family. The Forbeses both grew up in the “two stop-light town” of Gold Point in Martin County in eastern North Carolina. The high school sweethearts headed off together to East Carolina University in Greenville, where Charles played football. After graduation he coached high school football for a couple of years and headed back to ECU for a master’s degree. His football coaching career involved
THE FORBESES CHOSE TO GIVE BACK TO GUILFORD WITH A COMMUNIT Y R O O M . AT R I G H T, C O A C H F O R B E S ' P L AY E R S TA K E A B R E A K .
small band of kilted bagpipers. Despite this less-than-stellar record, however, a friend and fellow coach had suggested
going back and forth among high
in 1974 that Charles apply
schools, where he taught physical
for an opening on Guilford’s
education and health, and colleges,
football coaching staff. He and
including Lenoir Rhyne College, one of
Katherine were impressed with
Guilford’s long-time rivals. Meanwhile,
the College’s emphasis on community,
Katherine taught middle school science.
equality and the role of academics and
Greensboro for other jobs, they
athletics in development of leaders.
maintained the ties with their Guilford
most lasting impression on them both
The staff was warm and friendly
family. It seemed natural, then, that
was at the small, liberal arts college run
and made them welcome right away.
when it came time to retire, Greensboro
by the Quakers.
Charles followed his friend’s advice,
was their “end zone.”
But the assignment that made the
coaching staff and their players. Even after they moved away from
applied for the job and he and Katherine
Last winter the couple decided to
immediately fit. They had found a home.
make a substantial gift to the college
hardly known as a football powerhouse.
Two years later, in 1976, Charles was
to benefit current and future student
The Fighting Quakers’ losing streak was
named Head Football Coach, a position
athletes. It’s worth noting that their
legendary. Highlights of home games on
he held until 1991. During that time he
donation came early in the pandemic
many a Saturday afternoon were the half-
became Guilford’s all-time leader in both
when uncertainties about the economy
time performances of Highlander-clad
wins and longevity, and Charles and
were at their worst.
history professor Dr. Henry Hood and his
Katherine became especially close to the
Among even die-hard sports fans, in the 1960s and early ‘70s Guilford was
8 | W W W. G U I L F O R D . E D U
“We’d had some tragedy in our family,
