Crowder College Foundation

Thank you for sharing the joy of the season! Giving Tuesday gifts totaled more than $3,300! Your incredible generosity will give a hand up to Crowder College students in need and show them they are not alone as they seek to improve their lives and the lives of their families. We are deeply grateful! If you missed the opportunity and would still like to contribute, please visit https://www.paypal.com/donate/ and select "Greatest Need" from the drop down box or call 417.455.5646.

Today's the day! After all the holiday shopping for family and friends, extend a helping hand to someone you don't know--a Crowder College student in distress. Hardship can happen to anyone, and our students can be at greater risk as they try to manage jobs, families, commuting, and studies. Help make a difference! Visit https://www.crowder.edu/foundation/ways-to-give to make a gift. Your Giving Tuesday donation will help fund our food pantry and provide meals to hungry students.

While Festival of Wreaths will have plenty of merchandise that appeals to the ladies, we certainly didn't forget about the men! Take a look at these beauties that will go up for bid in the silent auction--a Milwaukee Hex Screwdriver Kit and Craftsman Brushless 2-Tool Combo Kit! Thank you Sammy & Joye Helm of Master Electric, Inc. for such a generous donation! See details on these and many other items at https://one.bidpal.net/fow or text FOW to 243725.

Place the winning bid during the Festival of Wreaths live auction and you will be on your way to a 7-day, 6-night Caribbean vacation! This fabulous package includes deluxe accommodations for two adults with your choice of four destinations: Cancun, Punta Cana, Costa Rica or Riviera Maya. The buyer can upgrade to an all-inclusive package for an additional fee at the time of booking. Transportation and meals not included. Some exclusions will apply. Valid though November 10, 2022! Unable to attend the onsite event on Tuesday, November? We can assign a proxy to bid in the live auction on your behalf! Call 417.455.5701 to learn more. Visit https://one.bidpal.net/fow to preview the auction catalog.

Some Crowder College students must choose between putting gas in the car or food on the table. Tomorrow, you can help students in crisis with a contribution to our Giving Tuesday campaign. Thankfully, an anonymous donor will match the first $1000 given--so your gift of any amount will have twice the impact.

Watch this short video for an update on Festival of Wreaths! Learn how you can donate items, pre-register for the event, and purchase raffle tickets.

The 18th Annual Festival of Wreaths takes place Tuesday, November 10 in the Elsie Plaster Community Center. The event will, of course, look and feel a bit different as we follow social distancing and masking guidelines. Guests can participate onsite at the venue or virtually. Pre-register and preview auction inventory by texting FOW to 243725. New this year, we have live auction proxy bidders available for those unable to attend! Call 417.455.5701 to learn more. In the meantime, check out this live auction sneak peek: an adjustable queen mattress & adjustable base donated by Leggett & Platt, Inc. Place the winning bid and unwind with the full-body massage, or use the zero gravity position to relax after a long day. Whether watching TV, working, or sleeping, you'll be able to find the perfect position with the touch of a button!

The 18th Annual Festival of Wreaths takes place Tuesday, November 10 at Elsie Plaster Community Center on the Neosho campus. New this year is our Best of Live auction! Tickets are $100 each with a maximum of 200 sold. The winner gets his or her choice of ANY item in the live auction catalog. Items range in value from $300 - $4,000! Purchase raffle tickets online before they’re all gone at https://one.bidpal.net/fow/browse/fixedPrice. Watch this short video to learn more.

A crisis can happen to anyone--even students. We, at Crowder College, strive to offer students facing hardship a hand up. Your contribution tomorrow, Giving Tuesday, can make a difference in a student's life.

Best of Live raffle tickets are hot off the press and ready for purchase! Tickets are $100 each with a very limited quantity of 200 available. The lucky winner gets his or her choice of ANY Festival of Wreaths live auction item with every item guaranteed to have a value of $300 or more! Visit https://one.bidpal.net/fow/browse/fixedPrice and get your tickets before they're all claimed. Call 417.455.5701 to learn more.

Dr. Cheryl Dalton, Crowder College adjunct instructor and veteran nurse of 42 years, has dedicated her career to serving patients at the bedside and teaching future nurses in the classroom. When the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency put out a call for help to healthcare professionals, Cheryl answered with a resounding yes. Her deployment took her to a St. Louis, Missouri, forensic psychiatric facility where COVID-19 had begun spreading rapidly among staff and reside...nts. Cheryl worked in the geriatric unit caring for residents advanced in age. Well over half of them had become sick, some critically. To minimize spread of the virus, all recreational activities within the unit were suspended. Residents could no longer eat meals as a group or engage socially with one another. The isolation and lack of community had a profound impact on residents and staff. Wearing masks and N95 respirators for protection meant Cheryl would not see another human face for two weeks. This experience, however, helped her feel empathy for her patients and co-workers. "A crisis like this reveals our character as individuals and as a nation. We each have a choice. We can retreat or we can help in the battle," says Cheryl. "While not everyone can serve by caring for patients, we can do our part by helping at local food pantries, checking on our neighbors, or offering a kind word of encouragement. I feel so blessed to have had this opportunity. I met remarkable, courageous people along the way. This experience will stay with me for the rest of my life." Thank you, Cheryl, for serving your neighbors during such a difficult time! We are grateful for you!

The concept of servant leadership is at the very core of the Crowder College culture. Now, as our nation and the world around us experience historical turbulence and uncertainty, serving others has become paramount. This week we share stories of Crowder alumnae and instructors who served on the COVID-19 front lines. While in nursing school, Whitney Wise, RN (class of 2018), always knew she wanted to become a travel nurse. She had no idea, however, that a pandemic would give ...her that opportunity a short two years later. A six-week assignment took her to Norwood Hospital in the Boston, Massachusetts, area where she cared for COVID-19 patients, the youngest of whom was just 35. For the first time in her nursing career, Whitney cared for critically ill patients in complete isolation, separated from their loved ones. "This was so hard to see, of course, but it helped me understand the importance of providing not only bedside care, but emotional support and encouragement," says Whitney. "It reinforced my desire to build relationships with my parents." While she gained renewed confidence in her clinical skills during her time at Norwood, she knows her education at Crowder prepared her for the intensity of caring for her patients there. Whitney has since returned home to Neosho. She feels her experience serving on the front lines will benefit her greatly as she takes the next steps in her career. Most significantly, it inspired her to focus on bonding with her patients in new ways.

Together We Rise, the 2019-20 generosity report, will release in the next few weeks. This year's publication features stories that illustrate how, even in the midst of extremely challenging circumstances, Crowder College donors, students, faculty, and staff work together to overcome adversity. We look forward to sharing the report soon!

Check out today's Festival of Wreaths sneak peek--an exquisite Kate Spade ostrich leather handbag sponsored by Paul & Janet Taylor! This beautiful satchel features ostrich embossed leather with smooth leather trim, capital Kate jacquard lining, an adjustable, removable strap, two zipper compartments, and snap detail for adjustable gussets. You must see it in person to appreciate its beauty! Valued at $600, it goes up for bid during the live auction portion of Festival of Wreaths, which takes place Tuesday, November 10. To see this piece and more, visit https://one.bidpal.net/fow. New items added daily!

For those unable to attend, here is the presentation of the Crowder College Outstanding Alumnus of the Year Award to Dr. Alan Marble, Class of 1973.Thanks to Steven Wolven, Crowder IT Specialist-Media/Technology Integration, for videotaping and editing.

Today, Dr. Alan Marble, class of 1973, was named Crowder College Outstanding Alumnus of the Year. Marble continued his undergraduate work at Missouri Southern State College, now known as Missouri Southern State University (MSSU), earning a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 1979. In 1986, Marble had the opportunity to return to Crowder's campus as Director of Continuing Education. During this time, he began working toward his Master of Science in Psychology, from Pittsburg St...ate University, earning a degree in 1988. He later advanced to Dean of Business and Support Services, managing a $30 million organizational budget as well as all development and fundraising efforts. He assumed the role of Interim President in 2006 after competing his PhD in education leadership and higher education. The Crowder College Board of Trustees appointed him President the following year, a post he held for seven years. During Marble's tenure as president, Crowder became one of the fastest growing colleges in Missouri with enrollment nearly doubling in six years. Additionally, under his leadership, the Neosho campus experienced rapid growth with the completion of the Arnold Farber Building, Tatum Bell Tower, Davidson Hall, and the Missouri Alternative and Renewable Energy Technology (MARET) Center. Marble hung up his Roughrider hat in 2013 after 27 years of service and accepted the position of Interim President at MSSU. A year later, the Board of Governors voted unanimously to name him President and he became the first alumnus to serve the university in that capacity. With Marble at the helm, MSSU enjoyed remarkable growth including the addition of a new residence hall complex and numerous other capital and renovation projects. In addition, the university received a full 10-year accreditation from Higher Learning Commission, one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. He closed the door on his accomplished 34-year career in higher education in June of this year. Marble resides in Neosho with his wife, Lori. Congratulations Dr. Alan Marble--the 2020 Crowder College Outstanding Alumnus of the Year!

Want to visit Branson this holiday season? If so, you'll want to get in our 2020 Branson adventure package raffle.This year's package, valued at $1300, includes 2 consecutive nights at Best Western Branson Inn & Conference Center for up to 4 guests (double queen occupancy; includes free shuttle service to Silver Dollar City; based on availability; excludes holidays); 4 admissions to Silver Dollar City; 4 admissions to Showboat Branson Belle (general seating, any cruise); 4 ad...missions to Sight & Sound Theatres 2021 production of Noah; The Track Family Fun Parks & Branson Ferris Wheel fun pack valued at $150 (includes track rides, Ferris wheel tickets & track goodies); and 4 admissions to Branson’s IMAX Entertainment Complex. Thank you Herschend Family Entertainment and participating attractions for such a gracious gift! Chances are $5 each or $20 for five. Visit https://one.bidpal.net/branson to purchase chances or call 417.455.5701 for more information. Drawing takes place October 26. Need not be present to win. All proceeds benefit scholarships for Crowder College students.