The second-annual Jeff Wydra Memorial Golf Tournament raised $7,200 to benefit South Piedmont students.
“We are most grateful to the Wydra family for their continued support,” said South Piedmont President Dr. Maria Pharr. “Together, we’re making it possible for students to pursue higher education, start their careers, support their families, and achieve their goals. We extend our most heartfelt thanks to the Wydra family.”
This year’s Jeff Wydra Memorial Golf Tournament took place on April 15 at Red Bridge Golf Club in Locust, N.C. Forty-three golfers participated. With the $7,200 raised, the Wydra family has established an endowed scholarship that will benefit students for generations to come.
The Wydra family created the Jeff Wydra Memorial Golf Tournament, and now the endowed scholarship, to benefit their late brother, Jeff Wydra, who worked for an electrical contractor until his sudden death in 2022.
“It was a profound loss. It hit me pretty hard. It hit my family pretty hard. It was devastating, really,” said Bob Wydra, Jeff’s brother. “We wanted to find a way to work out the grief and keep his memory and his legacy going.”
Bob Wydra started looking for philanthropic opportunities and soon discovered South Piedmont. Its construction and trade programs would have particularly excited his brother, Bob Wydra said.
“He saw a need to build the skilled trade pipeline. A lot of people in the field are getting older, and we need new people to get into the business to build that continuum,” Bob Wydra said, adding that at the time of his death, his brother was mentoring a young person seeking a career in electrical contracting.
Last year, the Wydra family donated $11,600 to the College, bringing their total giving to $18,800.
“Jeff and I both attended a community college. We know what it did for us, in terms of getting us started in our careers,” Bob Wydra said.
“Education can affect someone’s life so much. That will be my brother’s legacy.”
The South Piedmont Community College Foundation Inc. is a nonprofit organization established to receive tax-exempt contributions to support the mission of the College and the needs of its students. The Foundation also serves as an advocacy group for the institution, endeavoring to promote its services and enhance its image. Learn more at spcc.edu/support-spcc.