SGTC faculty and staff provide hurricane relief support to Southeastern Technical College employees

October 10, 2024
South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford is shown above accepting a check from SGTC Foundation Executive Director Su Ann Bird from the funds donated to the South Georgia Technical College Foundation by SGTC faculty and staff for Hurricane Relief for the employees of Southeastern Technical College impacted by Hurricane Helene. Many of the South Georgia Tech employees who gave generously to their sister college employees are also shown.
South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford is shown above accepting a check from SGTC Foundation Executive Director Su Ann Bird from the funds donated to the South Georgia Technical College Foundation by SGTC faculty and staff for Hurricane Relief for the employees of Southeastern Technical College impacted by Hurricane Helene. Many of the South Georgia Tech employees who gave generously to their sister college employees are also shown.

   South Georgia Technical College faculty and staff took the opportunity to provide hurricane relief and support to a sister college in need by donating generously to the South Georgia Technical College Foundation.  One hundred percent of the employee donations were presented to the Southeastern Technical College Foundation to assist with hurricane relief support for the Southeastern Technical College employees impacted.

   “The devastation left behind by Hurricane Helene is very severe over much of southeast Georgia and many of our sister technical colleges in the Technical College System of Georgia were affected,” said South Georgia Technical College President Dr. John Watford.  “Southeastern Technical College, with campuses in Vidalia and Swainsboro, was one of those more strongly impacted by the storm.  They are very similar to South Georgia Tech in population and rural delivery area.  Our college community wanted to demonstrate our compassion by giving funds to the Southeastern Technical College Foundation to distribute to help their employees who were displaced from their homes and suffered losses during their extended time without power from the impact of the hurricane.”

   Southeastern Technical College has approximately 2500 students and covers Candler, Emanuel, Jenkins, Johnson, Montgomery, Tattnall, Toombs, and Treutlen counties. It offers over 90 educational programs.  All eight of their service delivery counties received major disaster declarations by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp following Hurricane Helene.

   South Georgia Tech President Dr. John Watford drove to Vidalia and presented the SGTC Foundation Hurricane Relief check to Southeastern President Dr. Larry Calhoun.  Foundation Executive Director Su Ann Bird coordinated with Southeastern Technical College Foundation Executive Director Blythe Wilcox to assist with the transition support.  The Southeastern Technical College Foundation will distribute the funds based on the greatest need of their people impacted.

   Southeastern Technical College campuses have been closed since before the hurricane and are not scheduled to reopen until October 14.