PRESTON — Interfor Corp., one of North America’s largest lumber manufacturers, contributed $5,000 to Sumter County Fire and Rescue in Americus earlier this month. The donation will be used to support the building of a new Sumter County training facility, which will be used by local and surrounding area firefighters for live fire training and other hands-on training — at no charge.
“Interfor is committed to supporting the community where our employees live, work and play,” said Eddie Riles, mill manager at Interfor’s Preston Division. “Being able to support the Sumter County Fire Department and the building of the new training center aligns well with our company’s core values. Knowing we have well-trained first responders in our area to protect our facility as well as our employees, their families, and their personal property is important to us.”
“Firefighters put themselves in danger to protect the citizens of this area every day,” said Sumter County Fire Chief John Ekaitis. “This new training facility will ensure firefighters have proper training to do their jobs safely. Many thanks to Interfor for their support and recognition of the importance of this facility to our community.”
The Interfor donation is part of its ongoing philanthropic program funded by the company. The program is designed to build value for the communities in which the company operates by supporting organizations and programs that benefit the community as a whole.
Interfor’s Preston Division employs 170 individuals and produces over 200 million board feet of lumber, making it one of the largest sawmills in the state of Georgia.
Interfor is a growth-oriented lumber company with operations in Canada and the United States. The company has annual production capacity of more than 3 billion board feet and offers one of the most diverse lines of lumber products to customers around the world. For more information about Interfor, visit the website at www.interfor.com.