Students in Clatsop Community College’s “Lives in Transition” program have fashionably warm necks, thanks to a donation of 40 knitted scarves from the North Oregon Coast Chapter of Altrusa International.

The scarves were made by members of the community service group as a way to encourage the students.

“We understand how change can be difficult,” Chapter President Margaret Morgans said about the project. “We support their efforts to better themselves and their community. It is important that they know someone cares.”

The Lives in Transition program offers support to displaced workers who wish to continue their education at the college. Students earn six college credits for the two-class program. The stress management portion offers students pointers on self-awareness and stress reduction. The life transitions portion provides information about critical thinking, career planning, success barriers and healthy relationships. By the end of the program, students are fully integrated into the college environment, have completed new student orientation, participated in a college placement assessment and learned about financial aid, LIT Coordinator Margaret Frimoth said.

“These students are so happy,” Frimoth said. “One student said, wrapping a handsome scarf around his neck, ‘this is what I want to do someday soon, give back to someone else’!”

Altrusa International was founded in 1917 and boasts more than 14,000 members. The North Oregon Coast chapter has logged more than 1,000 hours of volunteer hours and awarded several scholarships to local high school students, Morgans said.

For more information about the group, go to (www.altrusa.org) or call Morgans at 436-0799. For more information about the college’s Lives in Transition program, call 338-2377.