A group of students are asking local artists to donate work for
a Nov. 29 silent auction
Gilroy – They need art.
Five Gavilan College students, who call themselves “HEART GAV” are planning a silent auction and need members of the local art community to donate a piece of work for the charity fundraiser.
The money raised will be donated to the American Cancer Society and Doctors Without Borders.
To ensure that every preference and budget will be served, the students are looking for artwork that represents a variety of media and prices.
The silent auction will take place Nov. 29 from 9am to 1pm at the Gavilan College Student Center located at 5055 Santa Teresa Blvd.
The HEART GAV group made up of Katie Hoffman, Rose Larkin, Clay Peer, Mark Faria and Khanh Nguyen, are all enrolled in Denise Besson Silvia’s small group communication class.
Each semester students in Silvia’s class are required to complete a comprehensive, two-month service project. Students attend lectures and participate in activities focused on teamwork, communication strategies, decision-making and conflict management, before being placed in groups of five or six. Groups must spend eight-weeks fundraising or volunteering for a non-profit organization.
The student groups are required to create a name, slogan and logo that represents their efforts. They also must conduct meetings and stage progress report presentations.
Last semester, Silvia’s students raised more than $12,000 and spent more than 400 hours volunteering in the community, according to a Gavilan College press release.
One of the members of the HEART GAV group lost a parent to cancer and the students believe that the American Cancer Society and Doctors Without Borders are doing important work.
Initially the group had planned to sell their own artwork as a fundraiser.
But after some Gavilan College art instructors volunteered to donate their work, HEART GAV decided to collect as many pieces of art as possible.
“I’m always amazed at what these students can achieve when they work cooperatively together,” Silvia said in a written statement. “As educators it is our duty to set the bar high. Students rise to the occasion and are able to apply what they learn in class, outside of the classroom walls. They are truly making a positive difference in our communities.”
This semester there are 10 groups working on projects ranging from fundraising for local animal shelters, collecting canned food and clothing for the less fortunate during the holiday season and volunteering their time at the Mexican American Community Service Agency and the Children’s Center at Gavilan College.
For more information or to donate art go to www.myspace.com/heartgav or send an e-mail to he******@***oo.com.
