Georgia Military College students help clean up southwest Georgia storm damage

ALBANY — A group of Georgia Military College students in Milledgeville, Valdosta and Albany assisted in Hurricane Michael cleanup this week.

In 24 hours, 39 student volunteers had signed up for the day of service. GMC officials said the volunteers were happy to help people in the Albany community recover from the storm.

GMC-Milledgeville Professor Robert Sherwood organized the trip. Others who attended the cleanup included GMC President Lt. Gen. William B. Caldwell IV, Commandant of GMC Corps of Cadets Col. Steve Pitt, Operations Officer Col. Duane Clayton and his wife, along with GMC-Albany Executive Campus Director Melanie King, GMC-Valdosta Executive Campus Director Billie Washburn and faculty members from those campuses.

While there, the GMC group tarped some homes and cleaned debris from fallen trees, blown branches and damage from the storm.

Living in Albany, King said the outpouring of generosity and kindness showed to their community has been a wonderful thing to experience.

“There have been so many kind people from across the area, state and beyond who have contributed so much to provide assistance, including our cadets and students from the GMC-Milledgeville campus,” King said. “Watching this group of GMC students come together to cut trees and remove debris was absolutely heartwarming. They volunteered to spend their time serving others and giving back to a community which is not their own. That’s a true reflection of their character.”

Washburn said she and her Valdosta campus were prepared to take the hit that Albany experienced. She said after learning what happened in Albany, she was eager to help.

“Although we suffered widespread power outages and tree and property damage, these were mere inconveniences compared to the effects the Albany area experienced and continue to struggle with today,” Washburn said. “It’s very important to GMC-Valdosta to show, in a tangible way, that we care about our neighbors. If we had been in their shoes, I know they would have come to help us.

“It was a privilege to watch three of our campuses work together, especially the students. They jumped in with both feet, doing every level of work to accomplish a common goal for the good of their community. Watching these kids embody the ideas of ‘Duty, Honor, Country,’ gives me great hope for the future leaders of our country.”

Sherwood said the trip was not only about helping those in need in south Georgia, but teaching GMC students a valuable lesson that he said can’t be taught in a classroom.

“I want our students to realize that there are always people in worse shape than they are in,” Sherwood said. “Helping others is what keeps our society working; and helping with no expectation of anything in return, that’s the key.”