The West Georgia Technical College Foundation is thrilled to announce that its annual fundraiser, Black Tie & Boots, raised a net profit of $190,000, surpassing all previous years' totals.

Over 300 guests filled the Murphy Campus Conference Center in Waco for the 21^st annual event and enjoyed raffles, dinner, photos, and a concert from country music star, Michael Ray.

“The extraordinary success of this year's fundraiser is a testament to the remarkable spirit of our community and the dedication of our supporters,” said Brittney Henderson, Executive Director of the West Georgia Technical College Foundation. “These funds will help provide financial assistance to so many of our hardworking students. We cannot thank our communities and donors enough for their continued support of WGTC.”

The funds raised at this year's Black Tie & Boots event will allow the Foundation to support students through gap funding and need-based scholarships and will play a pivotal role in enhancing the educational experience for WGTC students, advancing academic programs, and supporting key campus improvements.

Guests of the event heard from WGTC Scholarship recipients Abby House (Robert D. Tisinger Scholarship), John Escobar (Manufacturer’s Education Foundation Scholarship), Kristina Ledbetter (Robert D. Tisinger Scholarship), Zac Bacon (Robert D. Tisinger Scholarship), and Luciana Lazzarino (Tritt Family Foundation Scholarship), who each gave a brief testimony during the program about how the generosity of donors have furthered their education.

“As a mom of 6, it can be a struggle to balance work, school, and family,” said Kristina Ledbetter. “Support from generous donors like all of you helps to relieve that financial burden. Thank you for being committed to helping students like me succeed.”

During the event’s program, WGTC President Dr. Julie Post shared brief remarks and updates on current projects, including the upcoming addition of an industrial building to the College’s Murphy Campus and the Spark the Flame campaign, and expressed her gratitude to the many supporters of the College.

"It’s our job to support the economic vitality of our communities, but we cannot do it without your help,” Post said. “With the funds raised tonight, we are poised to make a profound impact on the future of education and innovation at WGTC.”

The new industrial building will add welding, commercial truck driving, and electrical lineworker programs to the campus, which currently has no industrial or manufacturing programs. The Spark the Flame campaign aims to raise $1 million to equip the new 40-booth welding lab that will be housed in that building.

The Foundation also used the event to present its annual Spirit of Giving Award to Wayne Davis Concrete (WDC), whom the College has worked closely with over the last year to develop and deploy a CDL internship program. WDC named the CDL classroom at the College’s Carroll Campus and was the first company to enroll employees in the pilot credit program.

The Spirit of Giving Award is a highlight of Black Tie & Boots, offering the College and the community an opportunity to acknowledge and thank an outstanding individual, family, or business for their exceptional contributions.

For information on how you can support the WGTC Foundation, contact Executive Director Brittney Henderson at [email protected]

The WGTC Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization established in 1988 to encourage, solicit, receive, and administer gifts and bequests of property and funds for the benefit of the college and its students. The Foundation is supported and advised by a Board of Trustees made up of members of the community who serve as ambassadors for the college throughout its seven-county service area. Partnerships and gifts enable the foundation to support the best possible learning environment for our students.

West Georgia Technical College, with campuses in Carroll, Coweta, Douglas, Haralson, and Troup counties and class sites in Heard and Meriwether counties, offers more than 120 associate degree, diploma, and technical certificate programs of study. A unit of the Technical College System of Georgia, West Georgia Tech is one of the largest of the state’s 22 technical colleges. For more information, please visit www.westgatech.edu.