Volunteers for Ogeechee Technical College will renew a yearly effort this week, taking to the phones and streets in an attempt to collect funds supporting students and programs of the school.
The college will hold its 2012 iGot (I Gave to Ogeechee Tech) Campaign Tuesday to create awareness about Ogeechee Technical College, and raise funds to supplement the budget provided through state and local tuition dollars, according Beth Mathews, Ogeechee Tech’s vice president for College Advancement.
“There are always students in need, and dollars raised through iGot allow the (Ogeechee Technical College) Foundation to fund scholarships that assist students,” said Mathews, in a release issued by the school.
The campaign will utilize hundreds of community volunteers and employees of Ogeechee Tech to phone local businesses and individuals, and canvas the communities of Bulloch, Evans and Screven Counties.
Last year’s effort collected a record $264,732, surpassing the 2010 total, and previous high-water mark, by more than $13,000.
School staff hopes the trend continues, as a need for donations steadily grows.
“There are many generous people in our area, and the support for the Ogeechee Technical College Foundation has always been tremendous, but the need is more vital than ever as our students face greater challenges in receiving HOPE funds,” Mathews said. “Often, the scholarship funds received make the difference in a student staying in school or not.”
According to Gary Barnes, vice president of the Ogeechee Technical College Foundation Board of Directors, moneys raised go a long way in aiding more than just Ogeechee Tech.
“The support we give to the Ogeechee Tech Foundation not only helps the College and its students, it ultimately helps every member of our community,” Barnes said. “Many of the people working in our hospitals and clinics, serving in law enforcement, repairing our cars, preparing our food, or caring for our pets, were trained at Ogeechee Technical College.”
“The graduates of Ogeechee Tech literally touch every person at some point in everyday life,” he said.
The Ogeechee Technical College Foundation will kick off its iGot fundraiser with a breakfast for volunteers Tuesday morning. Don Lambert, senior director of Technical Service with Air Methods, one of the largest medical helicopter services in the country, will speak at the breakfast, Mathews said.
“Lambert’s message will touch on how technical college education prepared him to compete in a fast-paced, high-energy profession, and why supporting technical education is important,” she said.
The foundation will announce results of the campaign during a community event also held Tuesday at the college.
This year’s theme for the annual fundraiser is “One purpose, one goal, one day.”
“One purpose, one goal, one day means that our one purpose is to support Ogeechee Technical College’s mission, by having one goal of raising funds, on one day, which is March 20,” Mathews said.
“We would like to thank our supporters for all of their help in the past, and we humbly ask that the support is continued into this year’s campaign,” she said.
For more information about the iGot campaign, individuals can visit the college’s website at www.ogeecheetech.edu or contact Beth Mathews by calling (912) 688-6016.