Fayette County Education Foundation ready for donations

Fayette County

Education Foundation ready for donations

Businesses

and organizations wishing to donate money to support various programs

and activities within the Fayette County School System now have an easy,

convenient way of doing so.

The Fayette

County Education Foundation, which has been in the planning stages for

three years, is now in place and ready to accept donations.

"We had

been kicking around the idea in our partners in education program for

several years. We asked the Fayette Chamber of Commerce and the Fayette

County Board of Education last year if they would cosponsor the foundation,"

said Jim Pittman, director of the Fayette County Community School and

vice chairman of the foundation.

The foundation

has already received its first two donations from ATL Cargo Sales Inc.

and the Georgia Science Supervisors Association, which total $600. Donations

to the foundation are tax deductible.

The Fayette

County Chamber of Commerce originally donated $1,000 to help set up the

foundation. The money was used to offset expenses required to get the

foundation operational such as filing necessary legal papers to obtain

nonprofit status.

Pittman says

the foundation will support three main areas of funding within the school

system. Teachers and schools will be able to apply for mini grants to

get financial help for special projects not covered in the regular instructional

budget. College scholarships will be made available for students and employees

wishing to pursue a career in teaching. Pittman says these scholarships

will be given annually depending on the availability of funds. Foundation

monies will also be used to support student and teacher recognition programs

such as the annual Teacher of the Year celebration as well as other events

honoring outstanding performances of pupils and instructors within the

system.

"We are

still in the planning stages. There might be other things that we can

help fund through the foundation once we get off the ground and running,"

Pittman adds.

Sometime this

summer the foundation is planning to kick-off its first fundraiser campaign.

Local businesses as well as employees and retirees of the Fayette County

School System will be invited to contribute money to the foundation. Employees

wishing to make a donation will soon be able to have any amount of their

choice deducted from their monthly paychecks.

Anyone who

would like to receive more information on the Fayette County Education

Founation can call 770-460-3990, ext. 135 to receive a free brochure in

the mail.

A board of

directors has been formed to oversee the operation of the foundation.

The board members are Mark Hall (chairman), Cherry, Bekaert & Holland,

Jim Pittman (vice chairman), director of the Fayette County Community

School, Rick Lindsey (secretary), Webb, Stuckey & Lindsey, Tim Anders,

Frank Caywood Company, Stuart Bennett, assistant superintendent of curriculum,

Jack Bowdoin, Heritage Bank, Melinda Berry-Dreisbach, public information

specialist for Fayette County Schools, Tate Godfrey, Pathway Communities,

Connie Hale, Danny Harrison, Fayette Daily News, Marion Key, Fayette County

Board of Education, Lou McLean, Fayette County Community School, Jim Stephens,

Fayette County Schools and Ashley Taylor, SunTrust Bank.