Before we could even begin to comprehend the magnitude of the tragedy, before the grieving or healing processes had time to begin, Americans woke up on the morning of September 12 with a new spirit of compassion.
"The spirit of September 12 is something powerful: a recognition that our obligations extend beyond ourselves and our family and friends," said Christie Whitman in her commencement address this May. "Americans are embracing their duty to community, to country, to humanity. What began with blood banks and relief funds has extended to all sorts of service commitments."
Members of the Hamilton College family are certainly no exception. Their volunteer activities don't usually make the daily papers or the 11 o'clock news, but these small acts of kindness illustrate what we do day-in and day-out to make a difference.
Here are just a few of the organizations that benefit from the thousands of volunteer service hours Hamilton employees devote to the community:
Ken Bart, director of the electron microscopy facility — president, New York Mills board of education.
David Bell, senior associate director of the career center — AYSO soccer referee; lay leader, Unitarian Universalist Church of Utica.
Leslie Bell, associate director of the career center — co-leader of the Junior Girl Scouts; children's worship leader, Unitarian Universalist Church of Utica.
Meredith Harper Bonham, executive assistant to the president — vice president, New Horizons, a residential facility for homeless young women in Utica; member, membership council of the Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute.
Austin Briggs, Hamilton B. Tompkins Professor of English Literature, emeritus — member, film committee of the Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute.
Alan Cafruny, Henry Platt Bristol Professor of International Affairs — president, Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees. "The refugee center has resettled approximately 10,000 refugees in the Mohawk Valley during the last 20 years."
Sue Campanie, events coordinator in the president's office —board member, Oneida Community Mansion House (where she chairs the fundraising, and public relations committee and serves on the Syracuse Symphony committee; member, Oneida Community Cemetery Association board of directors; director, Kenwood Benevolent Society; member, Progress Club (literary club).
Will Cardamone, associate dean of admission — vice president, A Better Chance program; board member, Clinton Child Care Center.
Sally Carmen, administrator in the Arthur Levitt Public Affairs Center — "My spare time seems to be mostly devoted to responsibilities for family members with disabilities, and I strongly believe that people should be allowed to live as independently as possible in their own homes. Since my husband's death in '99, responsibility for my (disabled) mother-in-law has fallen to me. In addition, my step-mother is in a nursing home in Kansas City, but because of lack of staff, requires an additional aide for the care she needs. I believe that we need to write Governor Pataki and fight for more money in the budget to help people who want to live in their own homes, rather than nursing homes."
Rand Carter, professor of art — board member, Utica Symphony (chair of the artistic committee), Chamber Music Society of Utica (member of the finance committee) and Landmarks Society of Greater Utica (former president and chair of the program committee); member, advisory committee of Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute; cantor, Orthodox Church of the Theotokos of Great Grace.
Katherine Collett, archival assistant — vice president, Clinton Board of Education; president, Friends of the Kirkland Town Library. "My family is raising a Canine Working Companion puppy to be a service dog for the handicapped (and has also raised two litters of puppies for CWC from birth to when they go to their puppyraisers at eight weeks). Speaking of which, if anyone would like to pledge a tax-deductible contribution to Canine Working Companions for the Walk-A-Thon that my daughter will be participating in on September 22, please contact me (x-4471)."
Sue Donegan, associate director of annual giving — member, board of education for the Oneida City School District; board member, Oneida Area Arts Council.
Claudette Ferrone, assistant director of major gifts — plays the flute for Sunday morning mass at St. Mark's Church in North Utica.
Rit Fuller, dean of admission and financial aid — coach for 10 seasons of AYSO soccer; member of a special committee of the United Way.
Barbara Gold, professor of classics — volunteer with local Quakers on many social issues, primarily peace; involved with organizations that work for the protection and humane treatment of animals.
Phil Grady, professor of physical education and men's hockey coach — along with his wife, for the past 10 years has run the Shawn Grady Memorial Fund. "This fund raises money to help local families that have children with life-threatening illnesses. This year alone we helped some 15 families and distributed more than $20,000."
Shelley Haley, professor of classics — board member, Cosmopolitan Center, Inc.; lector and member of the Contemporary Choir, St. Francis de Sales Church; member, Mohawk Valley GLBT Catholics, NAACP, Utica chapter and Salute Academy of the YWCA.
Pam Havens, director of stewardship — vice chair, St. Mary's School parent teacher advisory council.
Terry Hawkridge, assistant director of physical plant — volunteer with the Oneida County Cooperative Extension in the field of horticulture; work in the New York State Arborist booth at the State Fair answering tree questions.
Tim Hicks, director of audiovisual classroom services — volunteer fireman and ambulance driver, Oriskany Falls Fire Department; volunteer, C.W. Clark Memorial Library in Oriskany Falls; badge counselor for the Waterville Boy Scouts; Cub Scout den leader.
Stacey Himmelberger, college editor — board president, Clinton Child Care Center; board member, Clinton Figure Skating Club; co-chair, Festival of Trees for Faxton-St. Luke's Hospital. "Mark the dates on your calendars — November 15-17, 2002, at Hart's Hill Inn!"
Marilyn Huntley, audiovisual assistant — board of deacons and church council member, president of the Women's Guild, co-chairman of the rummage sales and member of the capital campaign building committee, Federated Church of West Winfield (where she also plays trombone "badly" in their small band called The Band of Faith and Hope); volunteer library clerk, board vice president and volunteer Web master, West Winfield Library; treasurer, local chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star.
Betsy Jensen, professor of economics — expense treasurer, Clinton United Methodist Church.
Chris Johnson, director of HEOP — board member, Rome College Foundation; member of the Rome City Planning and Community Development Committee; board president, Central New York Psychiatric Center.
Esther Kanipe, Marjorie and Robert W. Ewen Professor of History — board member, Oneida Community Mansion House. Has also served the Foothills Girl Scouts Council, Tri-County Court Appointed Advocates, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Utica, several advisory committees for the Oneida County BOCES and has lectured for school children of all ages and a wide variety of community groups.
Laurie King, office coordinator in the career center — volunteer with Compassion Coalition, a faith-based group in Utica that distributes food and personal hygiene items to the needy around Central New York, to distribution centers in other states and overseas.
Kathy Kwasniewski, systems analyst — board and executive committee member, Catholic Charities of Herkimer County. "Our programs include services for battered women, runaway and homeless children and teens, and many other services for underserved people in our area, regardless of their chosen beliefs. We do dispute-resolution training in local school districts and offer dispute mediation services to the public."; director, Upper Unadilla Valley Association, an organization that works to protect the history and environment of our area; board member, Parent's Council at Hartwick College (where her daughter attends school).
Colin Lord, associate dean of admission — board member, A Better Chance program.
Rob Martin, visiting assistant professor of government — "A couple of times a month, I visit the local nursing home/rehabilitation center (Sitrin) with my dog as part of a pet therapy program."
Jeannine Murtaugh, associate director of the career center — "The Hamilton College Community comes together in a very big way for the annual AIDS Hike for Life in the spring each year. Next April will be the 5th annual! The hike raises funds for and awareness of the fight against this devastating disease and those affected by it."
Vince Odamtten, professor of English — "For a number of years, Peace Agbley, my wife, has been collecting beer and soda cans from some members of St. James Episcopal Church, Clinton, Hamilton staff, students, around the campus and even from a Colgate student. She has been redeeming the 5 cents for the St. James Episcopal Church "Country Pantry" program which assists area families in need of food aid. In the past some students have collected the cans and then called her for a pickup, or have delivered the empties to our house. From 2001 till May 2002 the total amount raised was $1,363.15 or 27,263 bottles and cans!"
John O'Neal, professor of French — choir member, Saint Mary's Church; commissioner, Clinton Historic Preservation Commission; Clinton Kiwanis Club (Camp Kiwanis maintenance of grounds and cabins, Christmas tree sales, Thanksgiving turkey carving at the Lutheran Home, Clinton Shoppers' Stroll during Thanksgiving weekend, pancake breakfast, Limberlost Road clean-up program).
Steve Orvis, associate professor of government — AYSO soccer referee; volunteer, Habitat for Humanity.
Judy Owens-Manley, associate director of community research in the Levitt Center — vice president, Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees; member, Oneida County Coalition Against Domestic Violence; member, Community Board, Oneida County Communities That Care.
Susan Mason, director of the teacher education and oral communication programs — teacher with the religious education program at St. Mary's in Hamilton; offers planning activities and/or staff development workshops directed toward improving internal and external communication for the Central New York Library Council and Rochester Regional Library Council; member, Clinton Central School Professional Development Board.
Bill Pfitsch, associate professor of biology — AYSO soccer referee; Science Fair judge.
Cindy Reynolds, secretary to the dean of students — president, Roman Runners, a local non-profit organization that promotes running and raises money for various causes by hosting races. "Annually we sponsor the Fort-to-Fort races, which benefit the Rome Chapter of the American Red Cross (2002 raised $4,500); The Gold Rush, which benefits the Andy Gold Memorial Scholarship Fund (2002 raised $5,000); Miles for Meals, which benefits the Oneida County Senior Nutrition Program (2001 raised $1,400), the Thanksgiving Day Prediction Run, which benefits the Rome Sports Hall of Fame (2001 raised $500) and the Honor America Days races, which benefit the Roman Runners (2002 raised $1,900). We also adopt a needy family each Christmas and contribute annually to the Rome Family YMCA. In addition to our fundraising, we have club runs every Tuesday night, sponsor bus trips to out-of-town races, hold an annual awards banquet and organize a team for America's Greatest Heart Run and Walk. We encourage people of all ages and abilities to come run with us!"
Sharon Rippey, director of media relations — member, St. James Episcopal Church Outreach Committee; co-chair, Festival of Trees for Faxton-St. Luke's Hospital; and helps to facilitate the Office of Communication and Development community service including Adopt-A-Family, fundraising for juvenile diabetes, books for orphans, Habitat for Humanity, and every year C&Ders bake 100 dozen cookies for the Holiday Project.
Yvonne Schick, technical assistant, Print Shop — member, Cornell Cooperative Extension's master gardener program "We had a master gardener's conference at Cornell University a few weeks ago, and a group of the gardeners stopped here to see the Root Glen. I gave a little history on the Root family and told them about the great job our horticulture workers do at the glen!"
Jim Schreve, physics technician — referee, coach and member of the regional AYSO soccer board; judge, Clinton Science Fair.
Julia Schult, reference librarian —Old English Morris dancing performer with two teams, the Bassett Street Hounds Border Morris Dancers of Syracuse and the Heartwood Morris Dancers of Ithaca. "This helps to build community, maintain a centuries-old tradition and brings lightness of heart to our audiences. If you believe what we shout to our audiences, it also helps the crops grow and brings fertility and good luck to the communities where we dance! (http://web.syr.edu/~htkeays/morris/hounds/)"
Gretchen Schultes, Helpdesk support specialist in ITS — volunteer with the GARA (Greyhound Acres Rescue & Adoption); performer with the Sound of Silver Sweet Adelines Chorus (and treasurer); treasurer/secretary of her bowling league.
Kristin Strohmeyer, reference librarian — along with her husband: co-coach for son's Odyssey of the Mind team; member, Brothertown Optimist Club; vice president, school board; Utica Zoo parent; adopt a family for local Christmas project; member, church vestry; co-chair of a community action group; pre-school and Sunday School teacher; teach library skills to son's Boy Scout troop.
Dave Tewksbury, geology technician — critical care emergency medical technician with Central Oneida County Volunteer Ambulance Corps (COCVAC) and Oriskany Falls Ambulance Corps.
Veronica Tichenor, visiting assistant professor of sociology — "In the past year, I've tried to help my daughter learn the value of giving to others. In that spirit, we participated in the Food Salvage program here on campus. We've also done can/bottle drives and used the money to buy food to contribute to the local food pantry. We volunteer at Alterra Villas Assisted Living Center in Clinton (Thursday afternoon table bowling is our favorite activity!)."
Mary Vallelonga, assistant director of the career center — volunteer mentor with Intervarsity Christian Fellowship; youth leader, Resurrection Life Church in Rome. "I also spend a good deal of time praying for the students in both the youth group and in the IVCF. This is certainly the most effective way that I serve them."
Cameo Voltz, assistant director of student activities — "I will be participating in the Avon 3-Day walk for Breast Cancer on October 11-13. I must personally raise $1,900 to participate and will be walking 60 miles from Bear Mountain, N.Y., to Manhattan with my mother, my aunt and a college friend."
Ernest Williams, professor of biology — board member, Central and Western New York chapter of the Nature Conservancy; volunteer and former director, Utica Marsh Council. "We promote use of the marsh for environmental education at all levels, from preschool through adults, and we advise the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation on management of the marsh."
Joan Wolek, assistant in interlibrary loan — board member, Central New York Library Resources Council serving libraries and library systems in Herkimer, Madison, Oneida and Onondaga counties; secretary and executive board member, Limestone Ridge Historical Society; lector, teacher of religion (two grades) and gardener at St. Joseph's Church.
