Blue Ridge Community and Technical College West Virginia Community Service Project 2016-2017
Table of Contents Introduction... 2 Purpose of Project... 2 Statement of Project Goals... 3 Services to the Community and its Citizens... 3 Planning and Development of Project... 4 Informing Members... 4 Collaborating with Local Community Organizations... 4 Creating an Informational and Marketing Campaign... 5 Implementation of the Project... 6 Impact and Benefits... 7 Phi Beta Lambda and other Participating Organizations... 7 Blue Ridge Community and Technical College... 7 The Surrounding Community... 8 Evidence of Publicity... 8 Evidence of Participation... 9 Conclusion... 10 Appendix... 12 A: Letter to Enlist Local Merchants... 12 B: Newspaper Articles... 13 C: Article in Chamber of Commerce Newsletter... 14 D: Thank you Letter From VA Medical Center... 15 1
Introduction Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) chapter number 17085 at Blue Ridge Community and Technical College (BRCTC) was chartered on February 8, 2011. The chapter believes in community service, leadership, and learning. PBL aims to assist a variety of non-profit organizations in the area and supply organizations with much needed resources. In the past, Chapter 17085 has participated in non-perishable food drives, coat drives, casual clothing drives, and fundraisers to benefit local pantries, hygiene closets, clothing closets, and charities. The chapter wanted to establish an event that would benefit the school community and local community within the scope of one project. The PBL Club of Blue Ridge CTC also sought to become involved in cross-disciplinary endeavors, which would enable its members to interact and network with our student population, local community members, businesses, and associations. Purpose of Project Providing community service is a cornerstone of our Phi Beta Lambda chapter. This is emphasized during every membership drive and during the first meeting each new member attends. Many of our projects have been small in nature but have had a significant impact on our local community. With the Attire for Hire project, our chapter wanted to focus on making a difference in the future of local students and veterans. Offering clothing to a variety of people not only builds self-esteem but also enables people to envision a brighter future and become successful and productive members of the community. While there are many drives organized for everyday clothing, professional attire can be often overlooked. 2
Statement of Project Goals Our chapter worked to ensure success for Attire for Hire by developing the following goals: 1) Obtain new and gently used professional attire for Blue Ridge CTC students and the community who cannot afford clothing. 2) Increase the participation in the 2017 Spring Career Fair at Blue Ridge CTC on April 28, 2017. 3) Increase student interview opportunities and assist students in marketing themselves for a career. 4) Provide the local Veterans Administration with professional clothing to assist veterans in re-entering the workforce after serving our country 5) Provide the local community with professional clothing 6) Provide leadership and networking opportunities for our chapter members. 7) Help members utilize integrated marketing communications efficiently. 8) Bring together various organizations both at Blue Ridge CTC and the community to aid a variety of individuals and promote diversity. Services to the Community and its Citizens Many students at Blue Ridge CTC are on a tight budget and do not have the means to acquire appropriate professional attire. This has caused many students to avoid participation in career fairs and interviews due to not being able to present a professional image. This project helped fill a void at on campus that had not been addressed previously. While planning for Attire for Hire, it also became clear that the local community and veterans needed assistance as well. 3
Many of our local veterans were struggling to re-enter the workforce. Having professional attire to attend interviews and job fairs is essential but lacking for these individuals. Planning and Development of Project Planning for Attire for Hire took six weeks. This involved research into which organizations at the college would be interested and willing to assist with the variety of tasks required as well as necessary outreach. Planning involved many individuals within the Phi Beta Lambda chapter and a great deal of project management. Informing Members The idea was formulated by the chapter Vice-President during one of the chapter meetings and presented to the chapter s faculty advisor for review and approval. Once endorsed, a formal proposal with scope, necessary resources, timeline, budget, and staffing was developed. The final proposal was presented to the chapter to determine if this was a project the chapter wanted to engage in for its annual community service project. The chapter members unanimously voted to participate. The formal proposal was then presented to the college for approval, which was granted immediately. The chapter membership base was informed via email that the proposed project had been approved by all necessary governing bodies and that it would become the annual community service project. Collaborating with Local Community Organizations To ensure success of this project, local community involvement was necessary. The first item was to determine how to promote this event so that enough clothing was collected. Tina Combs, President and CEO of the Martinsburg-Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce, was contacted. The project was explained and a request for presentation time at the next Chamber meeting was requested. Not only was the Phi Beta Lambda chapter invited to attend various 4
Chamber meetings but a special invitation was extended to the chapter leadership to attend the Women s Networking Committee meeting on February 7, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. The meeting was held at The Hub in downtown Martinsburg. Next, the school community was invited to participate. Then, the Blue Ridge CTC Rotaract organization was contacted for coloration. This was a logical outreach due to Rotaract s service philosophy. Once the project was presented to the group, the local Rotaract chapter agreed to assist Phi Beta Lambda with volunteers. Also contacted were the Student Activities Board and the Career Services Department. The Student Activities Board provided volunteers and promotion of the event to the school peers. The Career Services Department provided necessary resources such as community contacts, press release guidelines, and guidance on how to make this a professional venture. Lastly, Berniece Collis, Coordinator of Rotaract Clubs, from the Martinsburg Rotary Chapter was contacted. On February 9, 2017 at the noon Rotary meeting, the Attire for Hire project was presented. This community connection allowed for a public service announcement on the local radio station, additional community advertising to neighborhood businesses, and the increase of donated supplies. Kohl s, JC Penny, Bon-Ton and Gabe s donated hangers, sizing tags, and clothing racks. Without the public service announcement and support from retailers, this event would not have been as successful. Creating an Informational and Marketing Campaign Various members of the clubs in conjunction with the Blue Ridge CTC Marketing Department created all campaign materials, such as flyers, banners, letters to local merchants, a public service announcement, and the press release. To seek donations and to provide publicity for The Attire for Hire event, the following was performed: 5
Public Service Announcements by WRNR Talk Radio Leadership from Phi Beta Lambda met with and presented to: Chamber of Commerce Women s Networking Committee Rotary Club of Martinsburg Presented letters to Wal-Mart, Target, Gabe s, Kohl s, J.C. Penny s, K-Mart, and Bon-Ton asking for supplies Advertised on school media outlets and email communication Cover page image was used to promote The Attire for Hire event An article in the Bruin Bulletin newsletter on January 30, 2017 advertising to all students, staff and faculty. Implementation of the Project A project timeline was established and followed as listed below: Phases Description of Work Dates Phase One Reach out to Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, and local businesses for participation and marketing Starting January 26 th,2017 continuous until end Phase Two Establish drop-off locations for donations January 31 st, 2017 (HQ and TC lobbies) Phase Three Enlist volunteers to help assist with clothing February 1 st 12 th, 2017 Phase Four Reserve room for distribution (HQ Room # 3114) February 2 nd, 2017 Phase Five Advertise for Clothing Drive February 3 rd 21 st, 2017 Phase Six Clothing Collection Drive February 13 th -17 th 2017 Phase Seven Pick-up, sort, and organize clothing February 13 th -19 th 2017 Phase Eight Prepare and organize distribution location to February 14 th -24 th, 2017 accommodate incoming supplies and clothing Phase Nine Student clothing selection and distributing February 20 th -21 st 2017 Phase Ten Analyze participation survey data February 21 st 23 rd, 2017 Phase Eleven Distribute remaining clothing to VA and local February 24th, 2017 Non-profits Phase Twelve Create press release about achievements February 25 th, 2017 Phase Thirteen Lessons learned document/things to improve Feb. 25 th - Mar. 1 st, 2017 Phase Fourteen Thank you notes and Email correspondence Before March 14 th, 2017 6
No monetary involvement was required by any of the organizations, due to all essential items being received through donations from multiple sources within the community. All organizations had originally agreed to supply $75.00 each. This established a voluntary budget of $225.00 to ensure adequate funds, to cover any necessary materials that would be needed for the event. Impact and Benefits Through the collaboration of all organizations involved and the assistance received from the community, the event collected 972 gently used business apparel and accessory items from February 13 th through 17 th,2017. Items included professional and casual apparel for men and women, shoes, and accessories. In addition, 161 casual items were collected. The total amount collected allowed us to assist many people throughout our student population, the community, and those who seek assistance through Veterans Affairs. Phi Beta Lambda and other Participating Organizations This event promoted awareness for Phi Beta Lambda and exemplified how the organization truly helps others. It also put an end to the stigma surrounding Phi Beta Lambda and how it is so much more than just a business club. Members from all organizations realized how good it felt to have a positive impact on the community. This event opened the door for our officers and the officers of other organizations who put forth networking efforts to make invaluable community and business contacts. Both Phi Beta Lambda and Rotaract gained additional student members and recognition in the community by hosting this event. Blue Ridge Community and Technical College Blue Ridge Community and Technical College assisted and provided support for current students with future career opportunities. Blue Ridge CTC is dedicated to helping its students 7
succeed, not just while receiving their degrees, but also with personal prospects. This venture enabled the college to gain more affiliations with national entities. By partnering with the Career Services department of Blue Ridge CTC, our students know more about what Career Services offers and the ways that students can obtain valuable knowledge and free services offered by the college. This facilitated student participation with these services and increased chances of student job placement. The Surrounding Community The Attire for Hire Event provided 487 items of business clothing and accessories to the student population at Blue Ridge CTC. The remaining 485 professional apparel items and accessories were donated to the Martinsburg VA Medical Center. Through our VA contact, Mrs. Ruby Clendenning, we assisted approximately 120 veterans at 4 items per person. We also donated the causal items to the VA as well. Evidence of Publicity The image below was a web banner used on the Blue Ridge CTC website. 8
The public service announcement seen below was run in the Blue Ridge CTC newsletter and was also used to promote the project by WRNR Talk Radio five times a day from February 4 th through the 21 st, 2017. Evidence of Participation There were 116 participants during the Attire for Hire clothing distribution. Each participant was asked to sign in and complete a short survey. This was not mandatory but highly encouraged to provide insight into why students participated. In the survey performed, participants rated our event an overall 9 out of 10 and all opted that they would like to see similar events on campus. Additional survey results can be seen in the charts that follow. 9
50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 47 Age of Participants 12 10 10 2 1 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65 or older Reason for Attending Attire for Hire 22 11 Everyday Wear Work A BRCTC Career Event 8 7 27 43 In interview Other A Career Event off Campus What was Liked About the Event High Quality Great Purpose Convenient Open to the community Everything Great Organization Free Clothes Large Selection Friendly People Nice Clothes 4 6 4 3 4 6 9 19 23 25 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Conclusion This project was one of the biggest endeavors that any student organization at Blue Ridge CTC has ever undertaken. Completing the steps required to get this project approved and successfully implemented was a positive and beneficial experience for all parties involved. Due to our commitment to the project and the positive responses received, the clubs of Blue Ridge CTC will now be able to host more events of this nature and scale. We proved ourselves capable 10
of hosting such an extraordinary event by upholding all promises made to the college. These promises included keeping the lobby areas neat, the distribution area clean, orderly, and manned during the entire event, and that members would be responsible and respectful throughout the entire project. The Phi Beta Lambda Club of Blue Ridge Community and Technical College looks forward to continuously being able to service our community by developing many more missions for years to come. 11
Appendix A: Letter used to enlist the help of local merchants. 12
B: Articles were published in Martinsburg s The Journal Newspaper on March 2 nd and 3 rd, 2017. This was also used in the Grapevine: Rotary Club of Martinsburg s newsletter via hyperlink and run in the Rotary district newsletter. 13
C: Article published in the Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce newsletter on March 8 th, 2017. 14
D: Thank you letter, received from the Martinsburg VA Medical Center 15