Tile Council of North America, Inc. (TCNA) and The Meredith Collection (Canton, OH), a TCNA member, donated a beautifully-tiled bench to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago (BGCC) at Coverings 2009 in Chicago, IL.

“Year after year, Meredith Collection has graciously donated their time, materials, and artistry to make a beautiful bench for donation. That’s a lot of work and commitment to a good cause. We applaud them for their continuing charitable contribution in these difficult times,” said Eric Astrachan, TCNA’s executive director. “We are proud to participate with them. We know this bench will be enjoyed by the children of Boys & Girls Clubs for many, many years.”

The Meredith Collection’s maple leaf bench was designed to reflect the Arts and Crafts design movement. The bench showcases creative installation and green building by using overruns from jobs of field tile, hammered tile, and moldings in the color pumpernickel, that when blended together showcase the true beauty of the color range. The hand-pressed maple motif relief tile was glazed in dill, one of Meredith’s new colors for 2009. The bench was designed and installed over a Wedi bench form (donated by Wedi Corporation and TCNA) by Bill Shearrow, an employee of The Meredith Collection.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago serves more than 17,600 children per year after school and during the summer provides services through 32 clubs and 3 childcare-only locations. The BGCC’s mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need help the most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Towards meeting this goal, BGCC offers a variety of programs specially geared to develop a child’s character and instill discipline while encouraging experimentation and growth. The impact of these clubs on the lives of Chicago’s children is immeasurable.