Home > News > $4.2 million Norman Park gifted to university

$4.2 million Norman Park gifted to university

Destiny Jenkins
Staff Writer
destiny.jenkins@hawks.shorter.edu

Shorter University received a $4.2 million gift from the Georgia Baptist Mission Board. The gift is the Norman Park Conference Center. The property is 32.05 acres and is located in southern Georgia at 4243 U.S. Highway 319N in Norman Park.

The center has several buildings with guest rooms, meeting rooms, a dining hall, an auditorium, a gymnasium, and a chapel. The gift was designated as unrestricted, which means the university may do whatever it wishes with the land, buildings, furnishings, and fixtures.

Speaking to the trustees last month, Rev. David Harper, Chairman of the Shorter University Board of Trustees said, “The Georgia Baptist Mission Board is a strong supporter of Shorter University and its mission of Transforming Lives through Christ. On behalf of the Trustees, I express my gratitude for this gift and the continued relationship Shorter has with the State Convention.” Shorter University President Dr. Don Dowless expressed his gratitude as well.

“Norman Park has been an important part of Georgia Baptist life for many years. We greatly appreciate the gift of this $4.2 million property from the Georgia Baptist Mission Board,” Dowless said.

The administrative committee of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board approved a motion to recommend the gift to the mission board’s executive committee on March 8. The recommendation was passed by the Executive Committee on March 15.