Okefenoke REMC recently made a $7,000 investment in education and workforce development with a donation to the Coastal Pines Technical College (CPTC) Foundation. The monies support the CPTC Electrical Lineworker Certificate program’s supply and equipment needs, and scholarships for students enrolled in the lineworker certification program.

“We are incredibly grateful to Okefenoke REMC for their generous $7,000 donation to the CPTC Foundation,” says Stephanie Roberts, Executive Director of College Advancement at Coastal Pines. “Their investment directly supports our Electrical Lineworker students, helping them access the training and resources needed to succeed in this critical field. Partnerships like this strengthen our communities and ensure a skilled workforce for years to come.”

OREMC General Manager John Middleton states, “OREMC has partnered with Coastal Pines for many years by supporting the Electrical Lineworker program. Doing so helps promote training and education specifically tailored to meet our workforce needs locally. This in turn results in empowering the next generation to live, work and thrive in their own backyard.”

Funds for the donation come from OREMC’s unclaimed capital credits, which get distributed to qualifying organizations supporting education, economic development and community needs. As OREMC Director of Communications & Marketing Michele Hutchins explains, “Education and community development are the founding principles OREMC was built upon. Using unclaimed capital credits enables us to reinvest in our communities, without impacting rates, and help address specific needs and foster growth and development across our eight-county, two-state service area.”

Photo caption: Chad Swanson, Dean for Academic Affairs, and Stephanie Roberts, Executive Director of College Advancement accept a donation to the Coastal Pines Technical College Foundation from Okefenoke REMC presented by OREMC Board President Wayne Combs and Board Director Craig Morgan.