CSCC Spreads Holiday Cheer

Holly Vincent
Monday, January 14, 2019 12:00 AM
Community

CLEVELAND, Tenn. – Cleveland State Community College has been busy spreading good cheer this holiday season throughout its five-county service area. The college had a variety of projects and services the faculty, staff and students were all involved in throughout the community.

We pride ourselves on being the college that always puts community first,” stated Dr. Bill Seymour, CSCC President. “This is particularly evident during the holiday season as our students, faculty and staff act to help others in so many ways.”
 
The Department of Service-Learning sponsored the H.O.P.E. (Health, Opportunity, Protection and Encouragement) Center's Children's Advocacy Center of Bradley County for the sixth year by placing their Christmas Angel Tree in the CSCC Library.

The H.O.P.E. Center is one of CSCC’s Service-Learning Community Partners serving people in Bradley, McMinn, Monroe, and Polk counties whose lives have been affected by violent abuse in their homes. The Children's Advocacy Center specifically serves child victims of sexual abuse and their families. This year's Angel Tree included cards for approximately 30 children and youth (ranging from newborn to age 17) being served through the Children's Advocacy Center, whose families are experiencing financial difficulty. The cards reflect each child's “Christmas wish list.

"Cleveland State Community College is a great community partner for our Angel Tree project,” stated Kelley Weber, H.O.P.E. Center Assistant Director. “Each year we serve families that are unable to provide Christmas for their families, and CSCC helps ensure that those families have the support they need to give their children presents on Christmas morning. Cleveland State goes above and beyond to help support our agency and the families we work with."

The CSCC Athens Center also had an angel tree provided by the Children’s Advocacy Center in Athens. “The tree was placed in the foyer on November 7, and since that time, we have had to keep putting additional names because of the overwhelming response,” stated CSCC Athens Employee Jean Moses. “We are very pleased that our students have reached out to the needs of others during the holiday season.”

The Honors students at the Athens Center also established a food pantry for the Athens site that mimics the one on the main campus. Any students with food insecurities are able to use this food pantry at any time. 

Each year, the CSCC Staff Senate provides Christmas gifts to the residents at nursing homes in the service area. This year, the Staff Senate adopted 20 nursing home residents at Bradley Healthcare and Rehabilitation of Cleveland. 

The Medical Assistant Student Association (MASA) had three service projects this past semester. They hosted a canned food drive for The Caring Place, collected hats for cancer patients at Tennessee Oncology and comfort kit items for the American Red Cross.

Each year, students in Donna Brogdon’s Intro to Business class participate in a service-learning project assisting The Salvation Army. Brogdon stated, “I have been doing this project since Fall 2014. The main thing I have noticed about this project is how it has changed the lives of my students. They normally go into it as not being excited, thinking it is more work than they wanted, but then after they complete it, they are uplifted, feel that they have done something to contribute to their communities, and how blessed they are. Most of them say that it has been life changing and that they will continue to volunteer and give back.”

Rebecca Harrill, Intro to Business student, said, “Being part of this service project has taught me so much about myself and what goes into helping people everywhere. I hope I can strive to continue to make a difference. I learned a different kind of happiness and joy. I was able to help make a different in the lives of many by helping them fulfill dreams and wishes.”

The Cleveland State Social Work students in the Family and Children Services class also recently participated in a service learning project where they purchased and collected donated items to give to a family in the community served through the Crossnet Project Helping Hands Program. Thanksgiving and Christmas food, Christmas presents, and essential items such as diapers and cleaning supplies were given to a young family living in Bradley County. 

             
Jana Pankey, Associate Professor, stated “This project is a great way each year to help others in our community and also bring the students together in a collaboratively way to provide assistance this holiday season.”