Administrators and staff at Jefferson Davis Community College are celebrating a gift this week. They are now the happy owners of 40 acres and a home.
JDCC President Dan Bain said the gift “overwhelming” and is one the college has graciously accepted.
“I am simply overwhelmed with thanks and gratitude for this gift,” Bain said Friday. “I was aware of the gift in January but to make this announcement now is extra exciting for us.”
Bain said the gift was made possible by the generosity of Sandra Weaver — a gift that includes 40 acres of property including an 11-acre pecan orchard and a large family home.
“This property has been given to us with no strengths attached,” Bain said. “We have promised to put the property to good use for JDCC and for the benefit of all of the citizens of this community.”
Bain said the large acreage and home will be a benefit to the college — but just how those benefits will be seen is still in the planning stages.
“This is all still new to us,” Bain said. “It took months of paperwork and planning to present the information to the state board of education for approval and acceptance. We have just learned recently that the approval was given to accept the gift for the college. We certainly have not had time to decide just how to best use the property.”
Bain did say officials with the local office of the Auburn Extension Service have meet with college officials to consider how best to manage the pecan orchard that is part of the gift package.
“We will have a meeting with Randy Akridge, our business manager and our science faculty for an overview of how to manage the orchard,” Bain said. “Mr. Akridge said the time of this possible partnership is incredible. They have been looking for an area to manage as an outreach of conservation and management. This may be a perfect fit.”
Geographically, the acreage included in the gifted property reaches from an area along U.S. 31 back to Alco Drive and along a large portion of Alco Drive facing the current property of Jefferson Davis Community College. The area now a part of the JDCC property reaches from Pizza Hut’s location on South Boulevard leading west toward the Badcock Furniture location.
As part of the legal preparation work to accept the gift, the property was to be appraised, Bain said.
“The property has an appraised value of $715,000,” Bain said. “With $435,000 with acreage valued at $280,000.”
Bain said the gift is one that will be at the front of everyone’s mind for months and years to come.
“We are really looking forward to exploring all the things we can do with this property,” Bain said. “Having this property secures the integrity and beautify of Jefferson Davis Community College’s campus for years to come. The possibilities of what can be done are endless.”