Finally unhindered by the COVID-19 pandemic NECC’s Community Outreach Group (COG) has bounced back with a successful year of volunteer work. This semester COG has orchestrated a bake sale for deaf inc., a clothing drive for Lazarus house, and a collaborative campus clean-up.
“This semester they decided they wanted to help out DEAF Inc. and so we had the first bake sale in over two years and it was successful. We earned over $300.” Said Merideth Gunning, COG’s faculty advisor. “We had an American Sign Language interpreter, but we had a lot of the students who were learning sign language coming by and being supportive.”
DEAF Inc. is a local multi-service non-profit run by and for deaf individuals. Fundraisers like COG’s support numerous programs such as independent living and American Sign Language training.
NECC students could have also found boxes around the Haverhill and Lawrence campuses collecting clothes for Lazarus House, an emergency shelter for homeless families and individuals in Lawrence.
COG’s work does not stop there. On April 20. COG teamed up with the student government association and the environmental club for a Haverhill campus clean-up.
“I would love to do more events with multiple clubs next semester, I think specially after COVID we should unite and work together and I would like that after I’m gone whoever takes my position continues to work with the clubs and do more collaborations,” said Sarah Pachano, COG’s vice president.
COG club meetings, events, and drives are open to all students, and they are always looking for more volunteers to help.
“Unfortunately, the clean-up event wasn’t very popular and at 11 a.m. nobody showed up, which was to be expected based on how plenty of classes start at 11 a.m. We decided to regroup at 12:30 p.m. and we got a group of about five people,” said Franziska Hoene, SGA president and one of the key organizers of the clean-up.
COG Club meetings occur every other Wednesday from 12:30-1:30 p.m. on zoom and in-person on the Haverhill campus, Spurk building (C).
“I actually didn’t plan to join the Community Outreach Group, but I went to one of their meetings and saw that they were interested in helping the community in every way they could, and, well, I stayed,” said Pachano.
