A newspaper article about Linden Lodge, an adult care home that offers independent living for residents who have brain disorders and mental illness, caught the eye of Dianna Moss, associate professor of nursing at Sandhills Community College.

At the time, she was teaching a psychiatric mental health nursing course at the college.

Moss immediately thought that this could be an opportunity to bring the real world into the classroom. She invited Laura Gingerich, vice president of the National Alliance on Mental Illness-Moore County (NAMI-MC), to talk to her students.

Linden Lodge does not use local, state or federal funds. Its income comes from donations and NAMI-MC fundraising efforts.

Gingerich's presentation inspired the second-year nursing students to coordinate a fundraiser for the facility. The Student Association of Nursing at Sandhills Community College (SANS) with adviser Heather Cox, associate professor, raised $1,000 in the three-month-long effort.

"It's one thing to read about it in a book and quite another to hear personal experiences," said Alexandra Morrison, who will be graduating in May. "We were moved to make a difference in our community. It is our hope that SANS will make an annual commitment to help Linden Lodge."

SCC, meanwhile, encourages local residents to consider nursing for a career. By 2020, there will be an estimated shortage of 800,000 nurses, according to the college.

SCC offers an associate's degree in nursing, a diploma in practical nursing and a nursing assistant program. Anyone needing more information about the nursing programs at SCC can visit the college's Web site at www.sandhills.edu. Anyone needing more information about college credit programs can call (910) 695-3725.