Wallace State Upholstery Department Recovers Couch for COA

CONTACT: Gail Crutchfield, Communications and Marketing, Wallace State Community College, (256) 352-8064, gail.crutchfield@wallacestate.edu
HANCEVILLE, Ala. — “This is an example of how a community college helps the community,” said State Rep. Randall Shedd, director of the Cullman County Commission on Aging (COA).
Shedd recently met with Alabama Commission on Higher Education board member Patricia McGriff, Wallace State Community College President Vicki Hawsey, Dean of Applied Technologies Jimmy Hodges and instructors and students in the college’s Upholstery department to collect a couch that received a long-overdue update.
With McGriff’s guidance, the once orange and gold floral print couch that sits in the foyer shared by the COA and the Cullman County Senior Center, was re-upholstered by a current student in the Wallace State program.
McGriff donated the fabric for the project, while student Pennye Conner of Mt. Olive in Jefferson County, worked on the couch with department chair Karan Smith providing her assistance when needed.
“She’s an extremely talented instructor,” Conner told Smith, after working on the project throughout a semester. Conner said she learned a lot while completing the project and was able to put her design skills to work as well.
Conner and Smith said they had to improvise on the design. The original solid silver-blue design was changed to incorporate more of the smoke-gray fabric patterned with square boxes. The seat cushions were created with the print fabric and trimmed in the solid blue. The back cushions were made with the solid blue fabric and trimmed with the print fabric. The center back cushion included a strip of the print fabric.
The whole of the couch was covered in the solid blue fabric, with the print fabric used in sections of the skirt and as trim on protective pieces for each arm of the couch.
“To me, it was a learning experience,” Conner said.
And her grade: “A-plus,” Smith said when asked about the results.
McGriff, said she often tells people she meets about Wallace State, especially the technical programs. “I took this program,” she said of the upholstery program, adding she would like to take another course to help her finish projects she has at home.
Shedd expressed his appreciation to McGriff and Wallace State for taking on the project.
“It looks beautiful and I know the seniors are going to enjoy seeing it,” he said.
For more information about Wallace State, visit www.wallacestate.edu or call (256) 352-8000.
 

Upholstered couch: Wallace State Community College’s Upholstery Department recovered a couch used in the foyer of the Cullman County Commission on Aging Office, using fabric donated by Patricia McGriff. From left are, WSCC President Vicki Hawsey, 4th Congressional District Commissioner of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education Patricia McGriff, Upholstery Department Chair Karan Smith, COA Direct and State Rep. Randall Shedd, upholstery student Pennye Conner and Dean of Applied Technologies Jimmy Hodges.
OTHER PHOTOS:
Before photos: Before photos show the couch and cushions reupholstered Wallace State Community College upholstery student Pennye Conner, and the fabric with which it was recovered in front of the cushions.
______________________________
Kristen Holmes
Director, Communications & Marketing
Wallace State Community College
P.O. Box 2000, Hanceville, AL 35077
1-866-350-9722 256-352-8118 direct
256-352-8314 fax 256-339-2519 cell
Visit us online at www.wallacestate.edu