By Jamie Chang

Over the music and chatter of students at club fair, Wendy Chen ’13 and Eden Weizman ’13 yell, “Join Art Club! Buy a handmade tote bag!” in an attempt to get more members. They plan to use proceeds from the totes to help a child diagnosed with leukemia. Chen and Weizman’s club is a community service group whose “goal is to use art as a means of bringing people together to serve their community,” Chen said.

The Art Club has taken on two community service projects this year.

The first is called “Totes for Talbert.” The Talbert Family Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides “financial relief to local families who have been struck by catastrophe.” The Art Club raises money for one of the children sponsored by the foundation.

“Daniel Sherry is a 6-year-old who was diagnosed with leukemia last year,” Chen said.

His doctors said he will need chemotherapy for the next three and a half years.

The Art Club accepts donations of any amount, and those who donate $25 or more will receive a hand painted canvas tote bag.

“Our club members individually design, paint and sign these tote bags,” Chen said.

Chen, Weizman, Kevin Adler ’13, Patrick Kang ’12 and Anders Villalta ’12 have all contributed to the cause and hand painted tote bags.

“It’s definitely a new way of going about fundraising,” Kang said. “It has the potential to raise a lot of money, especially with all the great tote bags that were made.”

Members are also planning to hold more fundraising campaigns at school and to hold a one-day fundraising event over spring break. All of the proceeds are donated to Sherry’s family.

The Art Club’s second project is teaching arts and crafts to seniors at the Canyon Creek Senior Center in Calabasas every other Friday afternoon.

Club members participate in crafts such as “decorating eco-friendly tote bags, decoupaging glass plates and making flower arrangements,” Chen said.

“All of the seniors were very kind and appreciative,” said Adler, who went to the senior center. “Even though I’m not the most artistically talented, it was great talking with them and helping them create art. I’m looking forward to doing it again.”