News
In November 2009, the Charles and Patsy Blount family were honored at the national Council for Resource Development Conference in Washington DC as the recipients of the Region IV Benefactors of the Year Award. It was a great honor for the Santa Fe Foundation and employees of Santa Fe College to recognize the tremendous efforts of this man and his extraordinary family by recommending Charles and Patsy Blount for this prestigious award.
Mr. and Mrs. Blount have been, and continue to be, the largest contributor to the welfare of Santa Fe College. Mr. Blount has said many times that Gainesville and Alachua County have been good to him and that he wanted to give back to the community. He stepped forward in a most magnificent and monumental manner.
Mr. Blount donated more than $5 million dollars in cash and in-kind contributions for the benefit of Santa Fe students and to develop the Blount Center in downtown Gainesville, which serves 2,600 students annually. The Blount's have also established two scholarship programs resulting in a $3.6 million dollar scholarship program for students attending Santa Fe College.
Under Charley's leadership, the Santa Fe College Automotive Technology Program was revitalized and recognized locally, statewide, and nationally. As a result of his leadership in contributing funds from his auto dealerships throughout Central Florida, permanently endowed funds in excess of one-half million dollars provide for state-of-the-art equipment and student scholarships in the automotive technology program.
Several thousand students have directly benefited as a result of his leadership and generosity; thousands more will benefit each year in perpetuity.
The AGH Auxiliary contributed $234,000 to establish a scholarship for students choosing one of the health related careers. Students can be seeking an associates or baccalaureate degree. The group was treated to lunch and visited the planetarium for a special show.
On November 20, 2009, during a scholarship fund raising dinner in Starke, Casey Jones addressed a crowd of about 150 people. Mr. Jones was aboard US Airways Flight 1549 on January 15, 2009, when it crashed into the Hudson River.
October 1, 2009 at 10 a.m.
Santa Fe Fine Arts Hall...Take A Seat, Any Seat! Campaign
Your purchase of a Signature Seat in the new Fine Arts Hall makes you a partner in building a permanent endowment for the future of Santa Fe's Fine Arts programs. In recognition of your contribution, your name will be inscribed on a seat in the new performance hall. In addition, your tax-deductible gift provides you with a complimentary inaugural year patron membership which includes:
- Opportunities to purchase season or single performance tickets in advance
- Annual SFC Fine Arts events calendar
- Invitations to special events
One of Santa Fe College's greatest benefactors, Alfred B. Watson, Sr., died Monday, May 4, 2009. He was 94.
Watson and his family donated a total of $3.84 million to establish scholarships and construct the SFC Watson Center in Keystone Heights. The center opened in spring 2005 and has since served approximately 400 students.
"Mr. Watson was one of Santa Fe College's strongest advocates," said SFC President Jackson Sasser. "He strongly believed in the importance of access to education and in bringing better educational opportunities to the Keystone Heights area. His indomitable spirit blended seamlessly with the mission and values of the college. He was an inspiration to us all."
On February 6, 2009, Dr. Joe Clark, a visionary high school principal and educational reformer, spoke to a record crowd at the Charley Johns Conference Center in Starke. All profits go to the Santa Fe College Foundation Scholarship Fund to benefit Bradford County Students attending Santa Fe College.
In 2007, the Starke Fall Festival underwent a major reorganization and became “Bradford Fest”.
The International Festival of the New Latin American Cinema is featuring "Dance of My Heart," Santa Fe College's film about the life of choreographer Alberto Alonso, on Saturday, Dec. 6, in Havana, Cuba. The main subject of the film, the late Alberto Alonso, co-founded the Cuban style of ballet and served as an artist-in-residence with the SFC dance program for the last 15 years of his life. SFC is sending a five-member delegation to Cuba to represent the college and SFC dance faculty member, Sonia Alonso, Alberto's widow.
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