Charles Loudermilk Pledges $1 Million to Fund Atlanta Press Club Political Debate Series
September 26th, 2011 Posted in Debate SeriesSeptember 22, 2011, Atlanta, GA - The Atlanta Press Club announced today that R. Charles “Charlie” Loudermilk, founder of Aaron’s Inc., has pledged $1 million to permanently endow the club’s series of political debates during every election year in Georgia. In honor of Loudermilk’s close friendship with former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young, the debates will be named the Atlanta Press Club’s Loudermilk-Young Debate Series.
The $1 million gift will be given in $250,000 increments over four years. The funding will be restricted to the club’s debate programming, which will include major political races as well as issue-oriented programs. The Atlanta Press Club’s Loudermilk-Young Debate Series will continue providing programs with the highest professional standards for balanced, objective and fair discourse.
“We believe that both Charlie Loudermilk and Andy Young are committed to having an informed populous that can make independent decisions on how to vote,” said Lauri Strauss, the club’s executive director. “Our statewide televised debates are an excellent vehicle to help voters understand their choices, and this grant ensures that they will continue in perpetuity.”
For 20 years, the Atlanta Press Club, in partnership with Georgia Public Broadcasting, has been organizing the premier political debates in the state of Georgia. The Atlanta Press Club Debate Series provides the most comprehensive, timely and widely viewed series of political debates during every election year in Georgia.