Chattahoochee Technical College Hosts A Thank -A- Thon

From Chattahoochee Tech Foundation: The Five Chattahoochee Technical College students who benefited from scholarship opportunities and emergency grants reached out to make personal thank you calls to more than 100 donors in the community whose generosity helped fund their education as well as the education of more than 50 other students during the 2016-17 academic year.

The Chattahoochee Tech Foundation, a nonprofit organization, hosted a Thank-a- Thon event this week in an effort to acknowledge all donors for their contributions to the college.

“Donations to the Chattahoochee Tech Foundation ease the financial burden many students face while attending college,” said Director of Alumni and Annual Giving Stephanie Hubbell. “At Chattahoochee Tech, our students have access to a world-class education, but we cannot do it alone. Thanks to businesses and individuals believing in our mission, we are able to make higher education an affordable reality for students in our community.”

During 2016, the Chattahoochee Tech Foundation provided $59,100 in scholarship funds to well-deserving students, and issued $8,426 in emergency grant funds to help students at risk of not continuing their education due to unexpected financial dilemmas.

“It has been very rewarding to host this Thank-a- Thon event and to observe our students connecting with the individuals who have helped make their dreams a reality,” Hubbell said.

“The Chattahoochee Tech Foundation is very excited to be able to praise our remarkable donors, including faculty and staff who give internally.”

Kymberely Wisener, of Paulding County, was one student who benefited from scholarship funds. Wisener volunteered to make thank you calls to donors on Monday because she said she is grateful for the resources that allowed her to complete her degree.

“Allowing me to complete this leg of my journey gives me confidence that I will be more marketable in my field of interest,” she said. “I am looking forward to the future. And I am eternally grateful for having benefited from a Foundation grant.”

Cobb County resident Clifford Acquaye participated in the Thank-a- Thon as a way to give back. “I felt like saying ‘thank you’ to those who helped me,” he said. “There was a time when I didn’t have money to pay for my tuition, but through funds provided by an emergency grant, I was able to finish the spring 2016 semester.”

Cindy Williams, who serves as the CEO of the Cartersville Bartow Chamber of Commerce, supported Chattahoochee Technical College students in the fall by participating in the Foundation’s Reverse Raffle event. Williams was one of the many donors who received a thank you call this week.

“The Thank-a- Thon is a wonderful way for CTC students to express appreciation to the local community for their support of education,” Williams said. “There is no better gift than gratitude, and I commend the CTC Foundation and its students for reaching out in this way.” Williams also had words of encouragement to share.

“The recipients of these scholarships have been entrusted with a special gift. Not simply a monetary gift, but also the gifts of confidence, encouragement and belief in one’s abilities,” she said. “As the students pursue their career goals, I encourage them to keep in mind that others have believe in them and invested in their future. Therefore, excellence is not something to be taken lightly. Find your passion. Believe in yourself. Leave an impact.”

A Waleska family’s charitable donation to the Foundation has also helped a student in the college’s Practical Nursing program continue to pursue her educational goals. The David E. Loos, II Memorial Nursing Scholarship awards $1,500 to a deserving student each year.

“My son David E Loos, II was a student at Chattahoochee Tech,” Patti Loos said. “David passed away very unexpectedly on May 15, 2014. My son was very passionate about becoming a nurse and working in the medical field. We were both humbled and honored that we were invited to attend the pinning ceremony for his class later that year as well as watching the dedication of the bench with his name donated by his teachers and classmates at the campus. We felt the best way to pay tribute to my son’s memory was to establish the scholarship.”

In addition to receiving a thank you call during the Thank-a- Thon event, David and Patti Loos also received a handwritten note from the scholarship recipient Megan Johnston, of Canton. For more information about the Chattahoochee Tech Foundation, please visit ChattahoocheeTech.edu and click “Foundation/Alumni” in the navigation bar.

Image Courtesy Of The Chattahoochee Tech Foundation