Newton church fulfills a dream with 1,000 mugs
Marlene Nelson
Before Marlene Nelson died, she wanted to raise enough money to build a school in Khethani, a township outside Winterton, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa.
She had spent some time in Winterton on a dairy farm and taught the farmers pottery. She became concerned about the lack of school buildings for the black South Africans in the area. Marlene had a vision to raise the money to build a school. Being a skilled potter, according to her friends, she set out to make 1,000 mugs, sell them and send the money to South Africa.
Marlene died of cancer a year ago, before she could see her vision through. In a tribute to Marlene and to raise the money for a library there, members of the Episcopal Church of the Messiah in Auburndale and artists from Harvard University’s Ceramic Program made the 1,000 mugs and will be selling them Oct. 7 at the Episcopal Church of the Messiah.
While the South African government built two schools in that township already, according to one of the event’s organizers, David Nelson, there is not a library and no trained facility to staff a library. Members from the church and the ceramic program decided to make the mugs and donate the money for a library.
“It’s very much in keeping with what she wanted to do,” said David, a long time friend of Marlene. “We would like to sell as many mugs as we possibly can. We hope to sell a couple hundred [the first night]. That will at least start the cash pipeline running to South Africa.”
Caitlin Castello can be reached at caitlincastello@gmail.com
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