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JCEC college liaison to raise money for Student Emergency Fund

2018-01-30
Matt Kirby, JCEC College Liaison.
Matt Kirby, college liaison for the Jackson County Early College, will be competing in the Georgia Death Race on March 31, and will be raising money for SCC’s Student Emergency Fund through sponsorships he receives.
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Matt Kirby, college liaison for the Jackson County Early College, has competed in many races over the years, but the upcoming “Georgia Death Race” will have particular meaning to him.

Kirby will be raising money for Southwestern Community College’s Student Emergency Fund through sponsorships he receives for the race, which will be held on March 31.

His goal is to raise more than $5,000.

“The Georgia Death Race is absolutely crazy. It is probably one of the toughest trail races on the East Coast,” said Kirby. “Hopefully the insanity of it will attract some attention and help raise some money for SCC's Student Emergency Fund.”

Located in Vogel State Park in Blairsville, the Georgia Death Race is approximately 70 miles long with nearly 28,000 feet of elevation change.

In addition to the running group “Plott Balsam Runners” he founded, Kirby has also started an after-school running group at SCC. They call themselves “The Sole Destroyers.”

Kirby added: “For me, running is about community building. The goal behind Sole Destroyers is to introduce young people to running and the beautiful sites of Jackson County. Through Plott Balsam Runners, we support local races and help with trail maintenance so that everyone can access the wonderful trails in Jackson County.”

Kirby has been training for months for the Georgia Death Race. You can follow his progress on Twitter: @KirbyRunsLong.

“Matt is clearly going the extra mile for SCC and our students,” said Brett Woods, SCC Foundation director. “Matt’s willingness to dig down to the core of his perseverance to show our region just how much helping students means to him, sends a loud message - a message I hope we all hear."

Last year, the Student Emergency Fund assisted 18 students with crisis type emergencies by awarding them over $4,000.

“This assistance enabled them to meet critical needs and in many cases, remain enrolled and able to continue their education,” Woods added. “We are grateful to Matt and hope our community will consider supporting this unique opportunity.”

If you would like to donate to the SCC Student Emergency Fund through sponsoring Kirby, visit www.southwesterncc.edu/Foundation and follow the directions listed. For assistance, contact Kathy Posey, SCC Foundation associate, at k_posey@southwesterncc.edu or 828.339.4227.

“Working at SCC and specifically working with early college students, I see the importance of education,” said Kirby. “I see the role that SCC plays in improving the lives of residents of Jackson County.”

For more information about the SCC Foundation, visit www.southwesterncc.edu/Foundation or contact Woods at b_woods@southwesterncc.edu or 828.339.4241.

 

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