INA, IL (Feb. 7, 2022) – Representatives from Affordable Gas + Electric (AGE) met with Rend Lake College representatives recently to kick off the new partnership.
Known as RLC’s Substantiality Partnership, it includes a generous $50,000 gift to the RLC Foundation that will help provide equipment and technology to the campus with an emphasis on energy-efficient resources. The check presentation was held on Monday, Jan. 24.
Pictured left to the right: Donnie Millenbine, RLC Dean of Facilities & Campus Operations; Ross Calliott, AGE VP of Operations; Kay Zibby-Damron RLC Foundation CEO; Jeff Haarmann, AGE Managing Partner; Terry Wilkerson, RLC President; Jordan Haarmann, AGE VP of Procurement; Ross Rubenacker, AGE Energy Management Consultant; and John Gulley, RLC Controller.
“Our partnership with AGE helps further our mission, and we are very grateful for their support,” said Kay Zibby-Damron, RLC Foundation chief executive officer. “This incredibly generous gift allows us to maintain relative technologies and equipment that are critical for providing quality instruction and services to our students.”
“It is partnerships like this that provide opportunities for our students and our institution to remain vibrant and relevant in the future,” RLC President Terry Wilkerson said.
The funds will also support the RLC Foundation’s strategic priorities, including student scholarships, campus enhancements and other avenues for college program and division support.
“AGE is proud to partner with Rend Lake College to assist in the development and implementation of its sustainable energy plan,” said Jeff Haarmann, managing partner at AGE. “Lending our expertise and relationships in the energy space to the goals of the college will ensure a cohesive, long-term sustainable energy play that will be good for the economics of the college while lowering the college’s overall carbon footprint.”
The partnership ensures that the college will remain a viable source for generations to come.
“Our commitment to Rend Lake College goes well beyond our partnership on sustainable energy,” Haarmann said. “Rend Lake College is vital to our community’s success. Through its role in supporting our high school CEO entrepreneur programs in Jefferson and Franklin County to its nursing programs and countless other cost-effective college-level programs, Rend Lake is one of many pieces to the puzzle needed to affect a change in the culture of our community. It is important to me to ensure that our young people have access to everything they need to succeed. When our youth succeeds, our community succeeds. We are fortunate to be able to offer our support.”
Those interested in giving to the RLC Foundation can find out more by visiting www.rlc.edu/foundation.