Helping others in need has always been a big part of my life, so when I was informed that The Tower was going to take a trip to Cass Community Service Center to make mud rugs, my decision to participate was instant.

The mud rugs produced at Cass are made of shredded tires that have been found either on the streets or donated. The rugs are then sold for a low price through Cass’s service center catalog, donating the money to help those in need.

Upon entering the center, I was greeted with a musty smell and the sight of a spacious storage room. In the back corner of the room sat a massive elevator clearly made for moving large boxes and other materials. The group and I entered the elevator and made our way up to the next floor.

The second floor is where all the magic happens. Here, the tires are shredded, woven into rugs and stored for shipment. Our group was given a brief walkthrough on how to make the rugs, then was broken up into pairs to begin work.

The work was both fun and gratifying. I had the privilege to give back to the city of Detroit all while being surrounded by my good friends. The rugs weren’t difficult to make; we started off by picking a pattern and bead colors. The only other step in making the rugs was to follow the chosen pattern. This simple task resulted in a mud rug made of recycled tires and created with my own hands.

After the mats were made, the group and I were given a tour of the rest of the second floor. We were shown the many projects Cass has embarked on like making sandals, coasters and birdhouses from recycled materials. Just like the mud rugs, these items are sold through the catalog, which uses profits to help those going through troubles.

Though the building was mostly just the home to machines and random items found on the street, I was able to see a hidden beauty. Cass Community Service Center is home to both creativity and generosity, allowing anyone, coming from any way of life to volunteer and give back. I can say with certainty that the work and time spent at Cass was well worth it, and I’d do it all back over in an instant.