“This effort emphasizes the heart of Catawba College,” said Dr. Kim Creamer, Dean of the Goodman School of Education. “I am thankful for the generosity of our faculty and staff helping bring holiday cheer to the children and families of Oakley Elementary. It is an honor to serve as part of such a caring community.”
The project received overwhelming support from the Catawba College community, including contributions from the Schools of Health Sciences & Human Performance, Arts & Sciences, Performing Arts, and Business, along with many departments, including the Office of the Executive Vice President & Provost, Human Resources, Financial Aid, Student Affairs, and Marketing and Communications.
The Holiday Fair at Oakley Elementary is a cherished tradition that allows students to “purchase” gifts for family members using tickets provided by the school. This project aimed to provide each of the school’s 500 students with five gifts to share with their loved ones, offering a moment of joy during continued challenging times.
Creamer and Dr. Jim Hand, Dean of the School of Health Sciences & Human Performance, delivered the gifts to Oakley Elementary on December 4th.
“Thank you, a thousand-fold,” shared Dr. Jo Landreth, Oakley Elementary Principal. “This generosity is incredible. I want to tell you how excited everyone was to see the donations delivered this past week. Please know we are forever grateful.”
This project’s success underscores Catawba College’s commitment to service and positively impacting the community. Creamer’s initial outreach to colleagues highlighted the need for unified and collective action to provide happiness and cheer during a challenging time. Faculty and staff were able to fulfill a list through an Amazon registry.
