Happy Hour

Back from Winter Break and the rush is on to register for Spring. Here's a little tip for avoiding the craziness: visit us between 4 and 7 p.m. You'll find our Student Services department a lot mellower and empty chairs in the waiting area more plentiful--not that you'll be waiting long. We all know the old saying about the early bird getting the worm, but it doesn't apply in this case. It's our own version of "happy hour" -- alcohol-free, of course, and sorry no finger foods. (Be forewarned, we close at 5 on Fridays.)

Spreading cheer

This year's MCC Shines on the Havasu campus was relaxing and eclectic with about 250 guests enjoying a program of ballet, Hawaiian dancing, the Colomunde Chorus and English faculty Dan Pund on his trombone. The board of our local MCC Foundation Chapter threw the switch on the loveliest lighting display we've had in years. It was all home-grown this year and showed what a rich community we have.

The strategic use of a railing as a makeshift tripod helped me get the shot below. This shows why we call it "Shines."

Pretty stuff, good cause

Give the gift of art this holiday, and support the MCC, Lake Havasu Campus Student Art League. They're having their annual sale Saturday (Dec. 4) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mohave County Library at 1770 N. McCulloch Blvd. These photos give you a small taste of the gorgeous hand-made items that will be for sale. You're not going to find anything nicer than this in town -- but I'm prejudiced!

Where right brain meets left brain

One of the cool things about the Havasu campus is our San Juan annex. While the architectural aspects of our campus' oldest facility may not have obvious charms, it's one of the funnest places to learn at MCC. San Juan is home to our heating, ventilation and air-conditioning lab. Next door are our ceramics and sculpture studios, including two kilns and a forge. The two sides of San Juan actually have a lot in common. They both offer hands-on learning while attracting students who really love what they do. And it's fun to see what happens when the two sides meet, as they did last night when HVAC students dropped in on a ceramics class and got excited by what was happening there. "We should be taking this class," one student said.

Give stuff! Get stuff!

The halls of the 200 building seem unnaturally quiet this afternoon, and I wonder if that's because a lot of folks are off preparing for Saturday's big parking lot/rummage sale here at the Havasu campus. This is a campus-team opportunity to do good for the campus while giving everyone an excuse to unload their unwanted stuff. (High-quality, gently used unwanted stuff, of course.) The sale is being sponsored by the local chapter of the MCC Foundation, and proceeds will go for special projects here on campus that conventional educational funding doesn't cover. One of those is our wildly popular College for Kids program. Money we raise Saturday could help local kids from families of modest means attend the two-week college camp. If you have some stuff to give, drop it off by noon Friday. (It's tax-deductible.) If you want more stuff--and who doesn't?--join us Saturday, behind the 600 building, between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Our own Good Witch of the West

Who would stand for hours on a hard sidewalk wearing a witch's costume and a long, green wig cooking hundreds of servings of popcorn for a seemingly endless line of guests? And do it cheerfully? The answer is the Havasu campus' own Katie, the Good Witch of the West. This selfless student volunteer deserves a medal for refusing to leave her post at this year's Pumpkin Festival, Oct. 29. In fact, she stayed at the popcorn machine long after the event's published end time continuing to cook up the apparently irresistible treat until everyone in line had received their portions. What a trooper. Thanks, Katie.

Add the sunset: By the way, this year's Pumpkin Festival concluded during one of the most gorgeous sunsets I've ever seen in this land of spectacular western skies. Below is what it really looked like -- no fooling.

The personal touch

We have a lot of hands-on programs here at MCC, but Physical Therapist Assistant may be the ultimate. During a visit to a PTA class this week, I witnessed a lot of physical contact--all of the healing sort, of course. The PTA profession naturally requires touching, holding and lifting, and folks who are shy about doing that probably need to look elsewhere for their future vocation. For those that have what it takes, PTA is a great career that offers good pay and outstanding job prospects, especially with our aging population. To hear PTA resident faculty Carrie Perkins talk about it, PTA is more than a career, it's a way of life and a true professional home.

Above: It may look like PTA student Carolyn is trying to turn her classmate into a pretzel, but she's really testing his range of motion.

Brave enough

We're getting ready for this year's London Bridge Days Parade, Oct. 16 on Lake Havasu City's "Main Street." This year's theme is "Havasu Heroes" and I've been in search of a few heroic MCC grads whose faces will grace the college float. Today the search lead me to Fire Station No. 2 where the city's fire department was conducting a training academy for recent recruits. Three of the officers putting the recruits through their paces (in full gear and 100-plus-degree heat) were not only graduates of MCC, they're now faculty. These guys are tough, as the students in our fire science program have, no doubt, already figured out. Hey, community college isn't for sissies!

At left: LHCFD Capt. Aaron Bracamonte, MCC graduate and faculty, doesn't even break a sweat as he takes a break from instructing fire department recruits in 100-plus degree heat.

Still time for art

You still have about a week to see the art show currently on display in The Gallery in room 204. It features provocative and innovative multi-media sculpture and "unique prints" by student Randall Shehi, who has become a fixture in our art studios at the San Juan Annex. Shehi really does have his own vision, and you're not likely to see artwork of this style or caliber elsewhere in Lake Havasu City or even this part of the state. The Gallery is open Mondays through Fridays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

At right: This sculpture by Randall Shehi features a delicate wing-like structure of hand-built clay set on a stand fashioned from a reclaimed trowel.

Welcome back already!

Yes, I've taken a bit of an hiatus from blogging, but I'm back now. The rush of new students in the weeks before the fall semester, combined with the wilting heat of August in Lake Havasu City left me a bit uninspired. But the temps have dropped below 100 (at least for now), and I'm feeling refreshed. It's great to see students back on campus, hauling around textbooks, putting their heads together in newly formed study groups and donning program-specific scrubs and t-shirts. Have a great semester!