Many nontraditional students might not have extra funds to buy holiday gifts, so the Nontraditional Student Center is hosting an activity focused on creating inexpensive gifts.
The Super Saturday Craft Day will be Nov. 10 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Ballroom C of the Shepherd Union Building.
“We were hoping to involve nontrads in activities other than in the classroom, because we know those can be kind of stressful for people,” said Brenda Smith, a peer mentor in the Nontraditional Student Center.
Debbie Cragun, the coordinator for the Nontraditional Student Center, said the center’s staff wanted to plan an activity that was focused more on fun than education. However, some students might still learn a thing or two about crafts.
All participants must preorder and prepay for craft projects online before Nov. 2. According to the flier for the event, there are “no exceptions” to the deadline. Supplies for the activity will be provided according to orders made, so no extra supplies will be provided at the activity.
To order crafts, students must go to http://weber.edu/estore and click on the “Nontrad Store” link. The Super Saturday Craft Day projects are all listed within the e-store.
“People do need to get in and sign up as quick as possible for some of them, because there is a limit on purchasing some of them,” Cragun said.
Within the online store, students can select the color and quantity of the crafts they would like to make. A picture preview of each completed craft is provided.
One of the activity’s materials costs more than is being charged, so the Nontraditional Student Center budget is covering the remaining cost. The prices range from $2-20. Cragun said all the money goes to reimbursing the materials, so no profits will be made. She said she didn’t want to charge more than $20 for each item.
Smith said the goal of the Super Saturday activity is to not only provide nice holiday gifts at low cost, but to double as a stress-reliever.
According to Cathy Barrow, the secretary to the Nontraditional Student Center coordinator, the turnout at the Super Saturday Craft Day might help determine if similar activities will be held in the future.
“We’re hoping it’s going to take off, because we’ve found some really neat projects,” Barrow said.
Smith said the event has the potential to turn into an annual event that nontraditional students can look forward to.
When students arrive, their preordered materials will be compiled with their names on them.
“All they have to do is show up, walk in the door, get their bag of the things that they opened, and go to the tables or whatever and do the project,” Barrow said.
Cragun said people of any age and skill level can participate. Some crafts consist of rolling up socks and paper, while others are as advanced as ceramic paints.
“We’ll also have child care for a couple hours out of the day that’s free,” Barrow said. “And all they have to do is call the Nontrad Center to reserve child care.”
The Kids Korner will be available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The child care will include games, snacks and a craft that the children can take home that day.
“We try to make it as easy as possible. You sign up, you know, the kids will be there,” Barrow said. “All you have to do is show up.”
