My Nonprofit Reviews

I had recently been restructured out of a job and was looking for a place to volunteer where I could be useful. I found CAN-NC on line and went to their office to meet the Executive Director. She immediately put me to work preparing art materials for one of the projects they were working on. It was great fun and I painted the backgrounds for what would later become art work from CAN-NC participants. I continue to find out more things about CAN-NC and continue to be amazed at the number of projects they work on at any given time. Recently I was a "helper" at a long term memory care facility that was part of the ARTmail project (a research project in conjunction with UNCG to assess the affect of art on those with alzheimers) There was varying degrees of engagement and some appeared to have some experience as painters, others no experience. Working together on their own paintings at round tables together created conversations among a few of the women, one reminisced about how she and her husband used to paint around their home. She was pleased to be creating her own work of art. CAN-NC does such a variety of art projects with seniors that it is hard to keep up with all that is being done. From paper book making with elder immigrants to movie making with senior LGBT folks, to doll making, to poetry writing (and a reading at a coffee shop, very powerful) CAN-NC is doing alot to enhance the aging process of seniors in NC. As a baby boomer myself and an amateur painter I know that art is good for the brain. Our population is aging. North Carolina is a retirement destination for many. No one should be sitting in a rocking chair waiting for the end to come when there is visual art, dance/movement and music to make! I almost forgot. I hosted a few art parties as fundraisers for CAN-NC. We learned how to do felting at one of them and i gave mine away as a Christmas present, we learned how to make tree ornaments and made kiln-less pottery. All great fun while raising money for a good organization!