College Employees Serve the Community with Their Creative Skills – Posted 12/3/15
Formed to maintain connections among County College of Morris (CCM) employees, while serving the local community, the Creative Leadership Club (CLC) once again this year utilized the talents of its members to benefit others.
During the course of 2015, CLC members made hand-painted key-hook plaques for veterans served by Community Hope, along with painted magnets for the agency’s other clients. They created raffia-ribbon bunnies for residents at Morris View Healthcare Center. And most recently, club members produced whimsical holiday wreaths for families to hang on the doors of their new homes built by Morris Habitat for Humanity. For the college community, the group also fashioned together Christmas gift boxes made of glass blocks for purchase at the CCM Holiday Market. The proceeds from that sale will help support the group’s activities next year.
The CLC was formed in 2012 by participants in the college’s Leadership Academy so they could continue to connect with one another and repeat the creative experience of making a practical craft for the clients of a nonprofit agency.
“The club’s mission is to simply create and donate, and any employee on campus is welcome to join,” said Edie Nelson, counselor with the Educational Opportunity Fund at CCM, who formed the CLC. “There are no rules but to come when you can and enjoy making something beautiful that can bring cheer to others less fortunate, which brings its own special reward.”
Previous projects undertaken by the CLC have included decorating pillowcases for troops overseas and creating fall napkin decorations to grace the meal trays delivered by the Morris County Nutrition Program, formerly known as Meals on Wheels.
Club members meet about once a month during their lunch time.
Photo Wreaths: (l-r): Edie Nelson, counselor with the Educational Opportunity Fund at County College of Morris and Mary Ellen Poh, administrative assistant, with some of the wreaths created by the college’s Creative Leadership Club that will be donated to families served by Morris Habitat for Humanity.
Photo Bunnies: Baskets of raffia-ribbon bunnies created by the Creative Leadership Club at County College of Morris for residents at Morris View Healthcare Center.