CCTC Foundation Receives Gift from Jordan United Methodist Church, Honors Scholarship Founder
The Central Carolina Technical College Foundation recently received a gift of $3,000 from Jordan United Methodist Church in Manning, South Carolina.
Since 2011, the church has donated more than $30,000 for scholarships for CCTC students from Clarendon County. Col. George P. Summers and Carole Summers of Clarendon County established the scholarship through the church to help students in need. Col. Summers passed away in July 2022 and to honor his memory, members of the church asked that the scholarship name be changed from the “Jordan United Methodist Church” to “The Col. George P. Summers Scholarship.”
Wright Turbeville of Manning, SC, is a member of the church and presented the check to Misty Hatfield of the CCTC Foundation. “Central Carolina has been one of the biggest assets in Clarendon County. Col. Summers fully supported CCTC and wanted everyone else to support as well. Through his leadership, the initial scholarship was started. After his death, it felt appropriate to honor him by renaming the scholarship in his honor.”
The CCTC Foundation honored Jordan United Methodist Church in 2022 with a Partnership Award for their years of dedication to the scholarship program and the college. Carole Summers said, “George believed in helping young people, both the young folks in the United States Air Force (USAF) and the students in Clarendon County.”
Col. Summers retired as a Colonel from the USAF, where he served as a fighter pilot. He served as Lay Leader and Chairman of the Church Council at Jordan United Methodist Church. He was stationed at 15 bases in the United States and five foreign countries, serving in the Vietnam War and Desert Shield/ Storm. His military decorations include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medals and Bronze Star Medal. He also received the Daedalian Award for best maintenance organization in the USAF and the Phoenix Award for best in the Department of Defense. He and Carole were married for 59 years.