HVAC-R Lends a Helping Hand

Learning a trade and acquiring technical knowledge is what it is all about at the Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center. Getting the opportunity to use that knowledge to help a local non-profit organization makes it even more rewarding. When the need arose recently, students in the HVAC-R class did just that.

Last spring, students from Mr. Fred Brown's Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning class at CTC came to the aide of the local Cape County 4-H. Under Mr. Brown's direction, the students were called upon to modify the Cape County 4-H Food Stand so it would meet city fire code regulations. Students used their training in the areas of ventilation, wiring, and metal works to produce and install necessary components which would allow proper ventilation over the cooking equipment.

Without the necessary improvements, the Cape County 4-H Clubs would not have been able to uphold a long-time tradition of providing a concession stand at the SEMO District Fair. According to Donna Taake, 4-H Youth Specialist, funds raised at the concession stand provide a large portion of the annual 4-H Council Program Budget for Cape County. The money will be used to fund 4-H trip expenses, state contest registration fees, chaperone fees, 4-H Camp expenses, and county-wide events such as the Annual Recognition Banquet and Achievement Day.

The time, labor, and skills donated by the HVAC-R students from the Cape Girardeau CTC helped a great deal in lowering the cost of the renovation project. Without the assistance of the HVAC-R students, the Cape County 4-H Council would have had to spend money on the concession stand which had been allocated for other 4-H programs and activities.

Cape County 4-H is grateful to Mr. Brown and the students in his HVAC-R class. The 4-H slogan is "learn to do by doing" and it is apparent that students at the CTC also share a very similar idea.