The late longtime Galesburg dentist Kandy Sayrs is creating opportunities for the next generation of dental professionals, even after her passing.
Sayers died on March 20 at the age of 61 following a brief illness.
But Carl Sandburg College has announced a $100,000 gift that Sayrs left to the Carl Sandburg College Foundation that will be used to support Sandburg students becoming dental hygienists.
Sayrs long was a champion of Sandburg’s dental program, known to sit for multi-hour student cleanings at the downtown annex.
Stacy Kosier, coordinator and assistant professor of Sandburg’s dental program said, “She understood how hard it is for our students to find patients,” adding that she “think(s) she felt that was just something she could give back to her profession.”
Chief Advancement Officer Eric Johnson says Sayrs’ gift has created an opportunity to lessen the cost barrier for current and future students who pursue a career in dental hygiene.
Johnson says, “We’re grateful, but we miss Kandy very much.”
Sayrs was the first woman to work as a dentist in the City of Galesburg.
