On Sunday, November 30, members of the Elmira College Nursing Club sat on the floor of the third-floor nursing lab in Cowles Hall, using whatever space they could to cut and tie large pieces of colorful fleece fabric into blankets. Together, the club members and friends made 27 blankets for kids of all ages.

“The Nursing club does this activity to give back to our local community and those in need, especially during the cold winter season,” explained Jake Nasse ’25, President of the EC Nursing Club. “It is a fun and creative activity to do together as peers to take a break before we enter our last two weeks of the term with finals.”

Each year, the club holds fundraisers and attends the Elmira College Octagon Fair to raise money and purchase the fabrics for the blankets, choosing fun designs attractive to kids from one to 17. Using a simple design, the students avoid the need for sewing machines. They make the blankets by combining two pieces of fleece, cutting strips along the edges, and then tying the strips together.

“It was so much fun getting to collaborate with my peers to pick the fun fabrics for the blankets, and sharing the time to cut and tie them all,” shared Nasse. “I feel this is an incredible opportunity to provide comfort, and this activity reminds me of all the ways I can help others as a nurse outside of a healthcare setting.”

The blankets will be delivered in time for the holidays to CONCERN, a local foster care program in northern Pennsylvania. Soon afterward, the club will focus on its next project, constructing Jared Boxes containing age-appropriate toys and activities for children in the Guthrie Corning Emergency Department. They're named after a young boy who battled cancer and inspired his classmates to create gift boxes for other children.

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