August 27, 2024 – The Clovis Community College (CCC) Student Activities Office hosted a blood drive and gave out free ice cream and words of encouragement on Monday, August 26, to celebrate the birthday of the late Molly Griffin.
Griffin was a former CCC student and nurse who was tragically killed in a car crash with a drunk driver in 2015 and had a passion for random acts of kindness.
In recognition of her kindness and to honor her memory on her birthday, the college decided to give free ice cream to students and the public as well as offer flowers and cards with encouraging notes on them.
The school also hosted a blood drive for this event, partnering with the Central California Blood Center to encourage students to help others by giving back.
An hour into the event, 12 students had already donated, which was a welcome surprise to Community Support Specialist Alina Torres. She stated, “Donating blood is a very direct way to be kind to the community, the patients in our hospitals.”
Torres further explained that all the blood donated goes towards five counties served by the center, which go directly to hospital patients and is used in life-saving treatments. She also mentioned their current promotion for giving a free pint of ice cream for people who donate a pint of blood at the center.
About 20 steps away from the bus where people donated blood for the center, student employees on campus helped give out free ice cream for students passing by.
Dr. Monica Chahal, the Interim President for CCC, reflected on the importance and meaning behind events such as these. She stated, “it is part of our culture and this is an annual event for us, and it’s really about nothing other than promoting kindness and creating a nice climate for our students on campus.”
Across from the ice cream tables, two workers from the Student Activities Office also offered flowers with note tags on them with compliments and offered students a chance to write a compliment for someone and take one of their own from a compliment jar. Some of the flower tags read “You are the best” and other uplifting words.
Kassandra Hernandez, one of those workers, explained, “It’s Day of Kindness, just to give back to the community and make everyone feel good.”
CCC, through events such as these, is certainly helping their students in small ways as well as honoring the memory of a local resident who was loved by many. People interested in giving back are also encouraged to donate to the Central California Blood Center or other blood donation centers in the area in reverence to Griffin and her family.