A $500,000 donation to Georgian College’s Centre for Health and Wellness from the Midland-based Weber Foundation was announced April 22 at Donor Meritorious, the inaugural dinner held by the College to honour major benefactors.

The Centre for Health and Wellness is currently under construction at the Barrie Campus and is set to open in September 2011.

“The Weber Foundation is proud to donate these funds to the new Centre for Health and Wellness because we know it will mean local residents in Midland, Barrie and throughout Simcoe County will continue to have access to the best possible health care providers and services,” said Reinhart Weber from the Foundation. “We have always believed in Georgian’s ability to provide relevant education for students in our communities. We are certain this donation will help the College continue to do so, helping to offset a skills shortage in the health care sector here.”

This donation is the largest single contribution Georgian has ever received from a foundation.

“Georgian College is extremely grateful to Reinhart Weber and the trustees of the Weber Foundation for this incredible donation which will allow us to offer our students the best possible educational experience in the Centre for Health and Wellness,” said Brian Tamblyn, President and CEO, Georgian College. “They have always stood behind Georgian, helping to move the College forward on many important fronts, each time ensuring they were contributing to both students and the community.”

This donation is the latest generous donation benefitting Georgian’s $25-million Power of Education fundraising campaign.

To date, $22 million has been raised, with the majority of the funds helping to build phase one of the 165,000-square-foot Centre for Health and Wellness.

The new facility will include leading-edge classrooms and laboratories, community-accessible health care teaching clinics, and will enable Georgian to double the number of students pursuing health and wellness certificates, diploma and degree-level studies.

Visit http://www.georgianc.on.ca/news/kip for updates on construction of the Centre for Health and Wellness.

PHOTO: Shaun McCracken, Vice President of Residence Life, Students’ Administrative Council, thanks donors on behalf of students at the inaugural Georgian Donor Meritorious dinner, an event celebrating the College’s major benefactors. A $500,000 donation from the Weber Foundation was announced to attendees, with the dollars benefitting the Power of Education Campaign and the Georgian College Centre for Health and Wellness.