The Black Hawk College community overflowed with generosity during the holiday season.
The Black Hawk College Quad-Cities Foundation and the Quad-Cities Campus Student Government Association partnered to host a Giving Tree for QC students. Employees were invited to nominate students in need. A BHC Giving Tree Committee reviewed the nominations and selected three recipients.
Wish list ornaments were hung on the Giving Tree in Building 1. Donors could take an ornament and purchase wish list items or make a monetary contribution online. The project collected $2,347 in donated items, gift cards and cash. The cash was used to buy the remaining items that students had on their wish list and any remaining funds were utilized for student emergencies.
BHC Giving Tree recipients
“Thanks to all the employees who contributed to the cause. We were overwhelmed with generosity, and it was so nice to see the students’ wish lists completed, plus more,” said Zenaida Landeros, executive director of the BHC QC Foundation.
“It was rewarding being able work with the SGA students. Their desire to bring good to their classmates was really heartwarming,” she said.
Practical Nursing students hosted a donation drive for members of Active Day, an adult day service for seniors and adults with special abilities.
As part of their training, students in the Practical Nursing Program hone their patient assessment skills in eight-week clinicals at Active Day.
“The students fell in love with the people there,” said Kathy Dusthimer, professor and coordinator of the Practical Nursing Program. “And they love the students.”
Amanda Hanssen of Davenport and Hannah Reynolds of Kewanee were so moved by their experience that they decided to coordinate a donation drive for Active Day members.
Practical Nursing students Amanda Hanssen and Hannah Reynolds
Since their classes are in the Health Sciences Center, Hanssen and Reynolds placed donation boxes around the building. They collected items such as hats, gloves, socks, toothbrushes, deodorant, body wash, lotion, razors, notebooks and Beanie Babies.
By the time the drive ended, the students had two carloads of items to go into holiday baskets for Active Day members.
“This was a student-led project and they did a great job!” Dusthimer said. “The faculty were proud to have the students take the lead in giving back to a community that they had grown to care for.”