ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The last time Donald Forney was in school he was 20 years old. Now he’s back in school at 50.

What You Need To Know

  • Many former Pactiv Evergreen paper mill workers have become students and are currently taking classes at Haywood Community College 

  • This comes after the mill’s closure in June that left more than 1,000 employees without work  

  • Haywood Community College says approximately $45,000 from the Haywood Strong Scholarship, which was intended to help mill workers learn new skills, has supported more than 50 students pursuing new careers after the mill’s closure  

“I was nervous about being a student again, but it feels good. It has opened my mind and gave me new options in life,” Forney said.  

This is a decision the Waynesville native made after hearing the Pactiv Evergreen paper mill was closing. The mill closed last June.

“My heart dropped. I was, I don’t know. I was very scared at that time. I didn’t know what the future held or what was going on,” Forney said.  

But he kept his faith throughout the changes.

“God always has a plan for us and in that plan, he said it’s for our good, and it has worked out for the good,” Forney said.   

Now he’s enrolled at Haywood Community College, thanks to the Haywood Strong Scholarship, which has supported more than 50 former mill workers.

Haywood Community College says approximately $45,000 from the Haywood Strong Scholarship, which was intended to help mill workers learn new skills, has supported more than 50 students pursuing new careers after the mill’s closure.

Forney has pursued multiple degrees, one in business administration and another in business and tourism, all with one goal in mind.  

“I want to work for a hotel that has golf and golf for free. That’s a very simple goal, but that is my goal. I’m getting close to retirement age, and I’m looking forward to those days,” Forney said.  

For Forney, he’s a fifth-generation mill worker, which is why he says the closure was a tremendous loss to his family and the community.

“My great-grandfather, he was a mill worker too back in 1920. He came here to log trees up in Bethel.” Forney said.  

As he accepts this change for him and his family, he’s looking forward to what’s next.

“I am looking forward to being able to use my education, instead of my physical attributes, my strength. Being able to use the strength of my mind instead,” Forney said.