Central Oregon Community College hosted its annual winter event, the Green Snowflake from Dec. 4 through Dec. 8. COCC students had an opportunity to visit and “shop” gently used toys, books, clothing, etc. Since this is a no-cost event and all items were free, this was an amazing way to find items for the kids in students families. This festivity is fantastic for students who wanted to save a little money and give spirit to items that others have outgrown.
Amy Howell, program director of the Green Snowflake and a professor in early childhood education, believes this event is a charitable and eco-friendly area for students to shop for the kids in their lives, as they balance the struggles of the community around them.
“The Green Snowflake is an intention to have a spirit of generosity and sustainability during the winter holidays where gift-giving is common. We wanted to create a way for our students, who are already balancing financial commitments with family, school, and community, to have a fun space to “shop” for children in their lives. The idea is that our campus community can contribute gently loved materials for children with the knowledge that they will find new homes and reduce some of the financial burden that many of our students face,” said Howell.
“COCC has a longstanding commitment to our students’ success and meaningful engagement, and we recognize that support extends well beyond academics to include basic needs, such as clothing and nutrition. We also recognize that our parenting students (those who have young children in their homes and lives) are balancing their time and resources to care for others. We know this is not easy, and we are trying to learn more from our students about how to best meet those needs with the resources we have available,” said Howell.
Howell also shares an anecdote of what brings the Green Snowflake to life and why it occurs. She said, “The Green Snowflake happens because of the incredible spirit of generosity of many individuals on our campus and in our broader community. Our Clothing Connection volunteers spend a lot of time helping to bring this to life each year, and there is so much joy in the conversations that happen among staff, faculty, and students throughout this space. I’m excited that this year’s Green Snowflake extended to Madras and Prineville (coming next year to Redmond in the Redmond Clothing Connection space!), and this is because of our campus commitment to supporting one another, and especially our students.”
