TIFTON — The Tift County Foundation for Excellence is raising funds for its 17th chair.

The Terri Nalls Reading Angel Chair will be earmarked for grant proposals that are in some way related to reading.

Nalls has been a longtime media specialist for Charles Spencer Elementary.

“She got our attention when she wrote our first grant,” said Brumby. “She’s received more grants than any other teacher.”

That first grant was for five computers of the media center at Charles Spencer Elementary.

The computers were needed for the students to participate in the Accelerated Reader program.

Since 1996, Nalls has received roughly a grant per year, on average.

That makes for 23 grants, totaling $20,512.

“She’s probably applied for more,” said Brumby. “She’s 1,000 percent dedicated.”

Fundraising for the chair was launched at a surprise retirement party for Nalls.

With family and friends coming in for the party, more than $6,000 was raised, according to Brumby.

For a chair to be established, $25,000 has to be raised.

A year after it’s established, 90 percent of the interest from each chair’s funds are available for teacher and educator grants.

The other 10 percent, along with whatever else is left from the available grant funds, is put back into the principal, slowly growing the principal from year to year and generating more funds for grants.

Establishing a chair can take time.

The Joe Courson Media Chair, which was established earlier this year, took more than four years to be established.

“If it takes two weeks, fine,” said Brumby. “If it takes 10 years, so be it. It’ll be great when it happens.”

Anyone interested in making a contribution towards the Terri Nalls Reading Angel Chair can contact Moppy and Mike Brumby at 229-382-7515.

Contributions can also be mailed to P.O. Box 714 Tifton, GA 31793.