VGCC Students Complete Thanksgiving Food Drives
Students at Vance-Granville Community College once again demonstrated their commitment to their communities with acts of service just before Thanksgiving.
VGCC Criminal Justice Technology students continued their tradition of giving back with the annual Criminal Justice Club Thanksgiving food drive for needy families.
The club had fed Thanksgiving meals to eight families in 2005, and nine families in 2006. This year, the Criminal Justice Club set the goal of feeding ten families. The drive was so successful that 11 families from throughout the four counties served by VGCC were fed, and the club even collected enough to donate additional food to Area Christians Together in Service (ACTS) in Henderson. Club members collected food items from VGCC students, faculty and staff, as well as from members of the community. Turkeys were donated by the club itself and VGCC staff members also prepared some homemade items. Young students at the Day Care Center on the college’s main campus also enthusiastically brought items from home and helped prepare the boxes of food for delivery.
Criminal Justice student Jarvis Baskerville of Henderson coordinated the effort, while CeCe Duke of Stem is the president of the Criminal Justice Club.
“I was so impressed with the generosity of our VGCC community,” said Andrea Ferguson, a Criminal Justice instructor who helped oversee the food drive this year. “That’s what the holidays are all about. Everybody pulled together to make it happen, and we’re very thankful.”
The VGCC chapter of Student North Carolina Association of Educators (SNCAE) also held its own canned food drive for the first time. The club delivered several boxes of food to ACTS in Henderson on Nov. 16. Once that drive was complete, the busy club, led by student Robin Williams and advised by Early Childhood Associate/Teacher Associate program head Jacquelin Heath, commenced a drive to collect coats and gloves for needy children in local schools, which will conclude Dec.10. SNCAE is a pre-professional organization for college students who are preparing for careers as educators.
“Vance-Granville cares about the communities it serves, and that caring has been expressed through our students’ service projects this Thanksgiving,” said VGCC president Randy Parker. “We have been blessed with the support of the people in our area, so it is a joy to give back and make a difference.”
Above: From left, VGCC Criminal Justice student Larry Burwell of Henderson and Criminal Justice instructor Andrea Ferguson look on as young students from the college’s main campus Day Care Center help stuff boxes of food for needy families. (VGCC photo)
