Community volunteers will hit the streets Tuesday, March 21, for the 2017 iGot (I Give to Ogeechee Tech) campaign.
Dewey Newton, Ogeechee Technical College Foundation president, said volunteers will work in pairs as they visit local businesses to offer information about OTC and to ask for support for the foundation, which supports the college with funds for student scholarships, student emergency funds, equipment purchases for academic programs, staff development opportunities and other initiatives for the college and its students.
“Receiving a scholarship or other assistance can make the difference in a student completing their program of study and graduating or not,” Newton said. “When a student graduates, gets a job and begins contributing to society, then the investment in their education is worth it.”
The foundation also funds the purchase of property to help expand OTC’s campus, something critically important to future growth. With little available land in the industrial park where OTC’s main campus is located, taking advantage of available property was critical to allowing the college space for future growth and expansion, according to Lori Durden, president of OTC.
“Without additional land on which to build, we would find it hard to fit future buildings onto our campus without crowding other facilities,” she said.
A central message of the iGot campaign is the foundation’s support of all the programs at Ogeechee Tech, programs that produce graduates who are employed in the communities served by the college and who work to make people’s lives better.
“We encourage citizens to consider how graduates of Ogeechee Tech impact their lives on a daily basis — as chefs, police officers, healthcare providers, accountants, childcare workers, veterinary technicians and many other professions,” Newton said. “So many of the folks who make our lives better get their education at Ogeechee Tech. Ultimately, supporting the Ogeechee Technical College Foundation pays dividends by providing professionals to serve the public in numerous areas.”
Evans County will conduct its iGot campaign on March 21 as well, but Screven County will canvass businesses this Tuesday. Ogeechee Tech employees will have their internal campaign next Thursday, according to Durden.
Businesses and individuals may support the iGot campaign with a tax-deductible contribution by mailing a check to the Ogeechee Technical College Foundation Inc., P.O. Box 764, Statesboro, GA 30459; or by calling (912) 688-6098 to request a visit by a volunteer.
Those wishing to volunteer to help with the campaign may call the same number.