Photo by Marcus Collins
Club adviser Tish Hayes helps Go Green! members sort items at the Bridge Thrift Store on Friday.
By Thalia Rivera, Features Editor
Tish Hayes’ efforts to help students at Moraine go far beyond her duties as the information literacy librarian.
When she heard that a longstanding club like Go Green! was down an adviser after COVID, she jumped at the opportunity: “I just threw my hand in the ring and was like ‘Hey, I’d be happy to do that.’”
She had been looking for a chance to work with students more directly.
“I mean, I work with students in the library, but it’s a little bit different,” she said. “I wanted to just have that opportunity to support a student club, support students doing the things that they want to do.”
She said she’s not an expert in environmental sustainability, but she cares deeply about it and its connection to social justice.
“I wanted to make sure that that was something that the campus continued to support and that there was a club on campus that would foster that here,” she said.
Club activities and events
The club aims to help the environment through outreach activities such as trash clean-ups around the community and donation drives for second-hand clothes to be resold at thrift stores. It also aims to work with the various cafes on campus to reduce the amount of plastic waste they produce.
“This semester, our focus has really been on doing some volunteer work with the Bridge Teen Center, doing this clothing drive,” Hayes said. “That may look really different next fall, depending on who comes to the club.”
Other activities involve promoting awareness of the club itself.
Take it from active members
Patrick Thomas, vice president of the club, joined partly for a sense of community.
“I wanted to get out of my shell more, because I’m more of an introvert,” Thomas said. “That’s why I decided to take this position. I want to try and build this club because it’s been here so long and I think we can make it something good.”
His friend, Luis Hernandez, got him into the club, he said: “He’s the president. I like that we can talk about stuff, you know? It’s really chill here.”
Hernandez joined the club for a different reason.
“There used to be an environmental club in my high school and I really enjoyed it,” Hernandez said.” I see that Moraine had like a similar club and I decided to give it a go.”
Hayes views the size of the club as a plus. “That’s one of the exciting things about having a small club; every single member brings so much and there’s so much opportunity to shape what the club looks like.”
When and where
Go Green! meets in U209 every Wednesday from 1-2 p.m.
How to join
Sign up on MVConnect, under Student Life and Organizations or by visiting the club while it’s in session. Interested students can also email Hayes at hayesl45@morainevalley.edu and visit the club’s Canvas page.
Interested in having your club featured in our Club Spotlight? Contact Features Editor Thalia Rivera at riverat38@student.morainevalley.edu.
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