ELCA NEWS SERVICE October 27, 2009 ELCA University Receives $3 Million Gift For Solmaz Institute 09-237-FI CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Solmaz Institute for Obesity will work to prevent and treat childhood obesity in the Catawba Valley region of North Carolina. That work will be made possible by a $3 million gift to Lenoir- Rhyne University, Hickory, N.C. from Gungor and Diana Solmaz of Denver, N.C. Lenoir-Rhyne is one of 28 colleges and universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The gift and plans to create the institute were announced at an Oct. 21 news conference on the campus. The donation is equal to the largest gift Lenoir-Rhyne had ever received in support of an academic program, which was an endowment gift of $3 million from Thomas W. Reese to establish the Reese Institute for Conservation of Natural Resources. In pursuit of treating and preventing childhood obesity, the Solmaz Institute will create an internship program for students seeking to become registered dieticians. The Dietetics Program will begin with the fall semester of 2010. Students will be selected for this program through a national computer-based system regulated by the American Dietetics Association. "This exciting gift from Gungor and Diana Solmaz allows Lenoir-Rhyne to provide a major wellness service to this community," Dr. Wayne Powell, president, Lenoir-Rhyne University, said in a news release. "When Lenoir- Rhyne moved to university status a little over a year ago, we made a commitment to this community to provide unparalleled services. The partnership we have engaged with the Solmaz family is making it possible for us to fulfill this vision," he said. The institute will work with local school systems and area social service agencies to assist children and their families, according to the university release. It will also involve Lenoir-Rhyne faculty and students in the existing programs of Athletic Training, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, and Health and Exercise Science. --- The home page for Lenoir-Rhyne University is at http://www.lr.edu/ on the Web. For information contact: John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask] http://www.elca.org/news ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog