OCEAN CITY — Local business owner Bill Gibbs knows the value of excellent schools and great education. He has always been a strong supporter of education and he recently showed his commitment through a major donation.
Gibbs, owner of the Dough Roller Restaurants, explained that each year he watches young employees who shine, work hard and enjoy their job while others struggle.
“More often than not, the kids who struggle have not had the benefit of a really good education,” Gibbs said this week.
Recently Gibbs stepped up with a $15,000 donation to the Worcester County Education Foundation. The WCEF, a non-profit 501(c)3, was established in August of 2013 in order to provide a perpetual funding resource, assuring that every student has equal access to a world class education, enabling them to function in today’s digital college environment and to compete in a new, emerging jobs market.
Gibbs mentioned the hundreds of high school and college students he has employed over the years and how easy it is to identify the confidence, self-motivation and other attributes in kids who have experienced a good education.
“Every child and every community deserves the benefits that come from having great schools. It’s one of the best investments any of us can make in our community,” said Gibbs.
The first focus of the WCEF is assisting with digital devices for students and teachers and supporting teachers with annual grants that can be used for additional educational tools.
“The first focus of the WCEF is to assist our county schools with digital conversion by accelerating the purchase and distribution of digital learning devices so that every child K-12 has equal access to a world class education,” said WCEF Board member Lisa Challenger.
Gibbs said he was proud to support such a worthy cause.
“One thing I’ve noticed is that the most prosperous communities tend to be those that invest in their education system. I’d like to see our kids given the best education possible because it all comes back to us,” he said.
Visit www.wced.foundation to learn more or to donate.