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Good news for students who like to get hands-on experience creating and crafting: a new Construction Club on campus will provide opportunities for students of all majors to learn and practice designing and building.
Organizing a new club on campus during COVID was no small feat, but by the end of the fall 2021 semester, Jason Bello, president of the Construction Club, and other members were able to get started on the paperwork and electing officers.
The goal of the club is to provide opportunities for all those who have an interest in creating. “At some point, someone will have an idea,” Bello says. “What we try to do is help them bring it to life. Since we come from diverse backgrounds, we can work together to make it happen.”
The club consists of members studying various majors, minors and programs; including construction, manufacturing, computer-aided drafting and design, graphic communication and occupational health.
“If someone is willing to learn, they are able to join,” Bello says. “There are always things that can be taught, whether they are curious about using specific software or just wanting to understand how to use some basic tools.”
The club is currently working on their first project and fundraiser: creating Valentine’s Day tea lamps. These lamps are laser-cut wooden boxes that have Valentine’s Day-themed decorations cut into them. When assembled, a tea light holder at the bottom allows light to pass through the cut-out portions of the design.
The Construction Club also plans to design, build and install “Free Little Libraries” on campus. These will look like mailboxes containing books, where anyone can drop off or pick up some books to read. Additionally, the club plans to build donation boxes that can be placed in local businesses made from recycled materials used to collect canned goods, toiletries, clothes, toys or whatever each business is willing to collect.
The Valentine’s Day tea lights will be on sale until Feb. 4, and all funds raised are for the club’s future endeavors. The boxes are $15 each, which includes a red LED tea light. Orders are being taken through a Google form found on the club’s Instagram page, @ville.constructionclub.
