It's the season to give to those in need. The news reports are of soup kitchens struggling to keep up, homeless shelters utilized to capacity and more families seeking assistance. Members of the Hamilton community reach out in many ways. Some contribute through their normal volunteer activities like 4-H or the Scouts, others give individually, and some offices get organized to "adopt a family," fill food baskets, bake cookies or make donations to local charities.
Employees in the Burke Library come to their holiday party with a gift — a children's book that will be donated to a Utica charity or service organization. "Happy holidays from the Hamilton College Library" reads the bookplates inside more than 60 donated books. Kristin Strohmeyer, reference librarian, who organizes the book project said, "We decided after the Sept. 11 tragedies that we needed to give back to our community instead of just exchanging gifts among ourselves. Being a library, we felt that a book donation was a worthy venture for us to take on."
Catherine Miller, senior circulation assistant, is giving Ten Little Lady Bugs. She knew it was the perfect book because her granddaughter loves the one she bought her! Strohmeyer says she gives children's literature classics like Stuart Little. The entire library staff votes on where to donate the books. Last year the books were donated to Hall House, Hope House and New Horizons.
Several departments "adopt a family." The library chooses a large family and collects family members' wishes, ages and sizes from the Clark Mills and Waterville Food Pantries. "This year we got a family designated as 'very needy,' so in addition to gifts and clothing items, we're filling a Christmas stocking for each of them," Miller said. "We already have too much stuff to fit into a stocking, so they'll have lots of gifts to open!" The library usually does a food drive too, but the Country Pantry asked them to consider a "Christmas in March" food donation instead.
Donna Lutz, senior assistant to the executive director, Western Region, who organizes the Communication and Development Office outreach said, " I hope that as a group we'll be as generous as in the past few years, and we'll be able to brighten the holidays for a few — we WILL make a difference!"
This year, C&D has adopted four girls and one baby from New Horizon's of the Mohawk Valley. Lutz said, "We have a wish list from them. They are alone and in need of some love and care." Others from the Hamilton/Clinton community are involved in helping the New Horizon's program succeed, including Elizabeth Tantillo and Meredith Bonham who serve on the board, St. James Church that donated new beds and a Clinton girl scout troop that is making quilts for all the girls' beds.
Lutz said, "In addition, cash and gifts will again be donated to two shelters for domestic abuse/violence victims, Lucy's House in Rome, and Hall House in Utica, from the very big hearts of the C&D gang!"
Judy Owens-Manley, associate director of community outreach for the Levitt Center, each year gives Hamilton the opportunity to donate several hundred dozen cookies. A local group puts together The Holiday Project, gifts and food package for 100 families during the winter holidays. As a small part of this project, Hamilton provides homemade cookies to go into the food boxes that each family receives.
Owens-Manley asks, "Can you help by baking and donating cookies?" The Communications and Development Office has helped with the project for the past two years, and it will also provide cookie dough to anyone who will bake, but prefers not to "make." Elizabeth Spaziani, senior assistant, Stewardship, has been collecting festive cookie containers to help each dozen be presented like a gift (and to make sure it gets to the family in cookie shape.)
"The Holiday Project follows the philosophy of 'I'm the Gift, You're the Gift.' Thank you for giving of yourself to other families this Holiday," Owens-Manley added. To get dough contact Sharon Rippey x4691 or drop cookies off to C&D or to Owens-Manley in the Levitt Center. Cookies need to be in by December 12.
