By Marco Mandujano
IV Leader staff, May 7, 2009
Sand was donated to the Illinois Valley Community College Art Department by a company in Wedron for students to use for ceramics.
The Art Department needed sand for clay because they were at their end of their budget and students were complaining about the poor quality of the sand that was used in class.
IVCC Art Instructor Karen Zeilman, with help from her student Ashley Peterson, found the company Fairmont Minerals, who was able to donate the sand needed.
Karen met with CEO of Fairmount Minerals Chuck Fowler who donated the sand to the school.
Hes a great guy and cares about the people, Zeilman said.
A truck load was delivered to IVCC but Zeilman explained that there is really no space for a truck load on campus.
It was so gracious that someone from the company would deliver it, but instead, Peterson went to Fairmont Minerals and brought back 400 pounds of sand in her car.
I never expected to see someone from the company to donate the sand and see the human side of the company, Zeilman stated.
Employees from the Fairmount Minerals also visited IVCC to view the art studio and the art show.
Fairmount Minerals is a silica company that has been in operation for over 100 years producing high purity, round grain silica sand.
For information about the art programs at IVCC, contact Zeilman at 815-224-0351.