The Inauguration of Virginia Schaefer Horvath Inaugural Day of Service

Helping Hands

Saturday, September 22, 2012:

Fredonia as an engaged, sustainable community.

The day after Dr. Horvath's Investiture, hundreds of Fredonia students, faculty and staff will fan out throughout the region, working with a variety partner organizations to address pressing community needs and environmental issues.

Students were able to sign up for individual projects at Activities Night or the Volunteer and Community Service Fair. Individuals still wishing to volunteer should register with Erin Mroczka at the Campus Life Office prior to or the morning of the event. There will be a registration and information table for the Inaugural Day of Service in the Williams Center on Saturday, September 22 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. For additional information, please contact Erin Mroczka or Joyce Smith.

AA logo

The Inaugural Day of Service is proudly sponsored by Alesco Advisors, LLC, Pittsford, NY

Individual community members wishing to participate in the Day of Service will be welcome at events designated with an asterisk (*). Please contact the individual event coordinators for more information.

All volunteers are asked to complete an individual or group registration form prior to participation in the Inaugural Day of Service. Forms are available in the Campus Life Office or may be downloaded here: Individual or Group Form.

As a prelude to the Inaugural Day of Service, Fredonia's CSTEP/STEP and Native American SUNY: Western Consortium will sponsor a UNYTS Blood Drive on Thursday, September 20, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation Fire Department, 1520 Route 438, Irving, N.Y. Volunteers will assist donors and help with refreshments. For more information, contact Teresa Van Aernam at 716-673-3531.

Confirmed projects for the Inaugural Day of Service on September 22 are:

  • Boys and Girls Club of Northern Chautauqua County: Project: Mini Sports Clinic (i.e., provide team building activities and skill drills). For more details, please contact Kevin Moore. 10 a.m. to Noon
  • Buffalo Museum of Science*: Project: Spanish-speaking volunteers will discuss special exhibitions with visitors during Hispanic Heritage Day. For more information, contact Mike Barone. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • Chautauqua County Rural Ministry:
    • Furniture Gallery: Project: Create a furniture gallery. Set up, clean and move furniture. Heavy lifting required. Design/decorating skills helpful.
    • The Friendly Kitchen: Project: Prepare, serve a meal and clean up. Cleanup requires washing dishes, putting dishes away, mopping and sweeping. 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
    • Gleaning Project: Project: Harvest produce from community gardens and farmers' fields. 10 a.m. to Noon.
    • Garment Gallery: Project: Create an inventory room: sort clothing, erect shelving, hang outgoing inventory on racks and a space for unusable items.
    • Coburn Block Units: Project: Paint emergency, temporary and permanent shelters for individuals/families in crisis.
    • For more information about any of the Chautauqua County Rural Ministry projects, please contact Joyce Smith.
  • Habitat for Humanity North County: Project: Track team members will paint, landscape, move materials, and prepare for a brick entryway project at 64 West Chautauqua Street in Mayville. For more information, contact Justin McQuality.
  • Lake Shore Humane Society North County: Project: Plant trees and grass at new facility, work with cats, assist with pet adoptions. For more details, contact Karene Gora. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Camp Gross (Youth Camp): Project: Alpha Phi Omega members will clean up grounds, prepare camp for fall, and paint picnic tables.
  • Greystone Nature Preserve: Bluebird Project: Refurbish/paint existing bluebird houses and install them in bluebird habitat areas, plant oak trees. For more information, contact Diane Clark. 1 to 3:30 p.m.
  • Dunkirk Free Library: Computer Project: Computer literacy class (internet and email instruction); project for youth: story time and craft workshop.
  • International Coastal Cleanup*: Project: Clean local beach areas at Pt. Gratiot, Wright Park, and Cedar Beach, weigh and sort debris, and record information. Carpooling from campus at 9:40 a.m. in the Fenton Hall parking lot. For additional information, contact Christina Jarvis. 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
  • Academy Heights Neighborhood Association: Project: Prune and clean up "GreenFest" trees, plant new trees on Main Street in Dunkirk, continue restoration of Bicentennial Park. Please contact Mike Jabot or Skeeter Tower for more information. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Darwin R. Barker Library: Project: Children's Concert Series – a student string quartet from the School of Music will perform two free interactive concerts for children. Coordinators: Sarah Hamilton and Jill Reese. 10:30 to 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to Noon.
  • Village of Fredonia*: Project: Village cleanup. Student-led bottle/can/cigarette butts and grounds cleanup in Barker Commons, Russell Joy Park, and streets throughout the village. Volunteers should meet at the Gazebo in downtown Fredonia at 10am. For more information, contact Meagan Allers. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
  • Fredonia Campus*: Project: Invasive species pull in the campus woodlot. Meet in parking lot #7 on Ring Road for demonstrations at 10 a.m. and Noon. For more information, contact Jon Titus. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • WCA Home: Projects: Sigma Tau Delta members will read literature and discuss the selections with residents. Social and recreational activities, painting, yard work, and general maintenance are also welcome. Literary Event Coordinator: Emily VanDette.
  • Chautauqua County Home: Project: Literary social activities: read literature and discuss the selections with residents. Literary Event Coordinator: Emily VanDette. 10 to 11:30 a.m. and 2 to 3:30 p.m.
  • St. Columban's on the Lake: Project: Social and recreational activities. For more information, contact Joyce Smith. Coffee and conversation 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.; Bingo 1 to 2 p.m.
  • Fredonia Place: Project: English and Communication Disorders & Sciences majors will read literary selections and converse with memory-wing residents. Coordinator: Jan McVicker. 2 to 3 p.m.
  • Campus and Community Children's Center: Project: Early Childhood Education majors will clean toys, organize closets, set up gym and other play spaces. Coordinator: Karen Lindeman.
  • Our Lady of Bastrica Croatian R.C. Church: Project: Fall cleanup and repair of grounds, yard and gardens. Volunteers should bring work gloves and gardening tools. For more information, contact Linda Hall. 9 a.m. to Noon.
  • Gowanda Historical Hollywood Theater: Project: Restoration project. For more information, please contact Heather McKeever at heather.mckeever@fredonia.edu
  • Springville Boys and Girls Club: Project: Landscape and paint club's space. For more information, please contact Christine Gerber.
  • Walk to End Alzheimer's: Project: Sigma Kappa members will participate in the Delaware Park & Buffalo Zoo fundraising walk. For more information, contact Mike Barone. 10 a.m. starting time.

*These projects are open to community volunteers.

In preparation for the Inaugural Day of Service, students and staff of Fredonia's Educational Development Program (EDP) met at the campus woodlot on Tuesday, September 11 to pick up litter and beautify the woodlot.

Sub-committee members: Joyce Harvard Smith, co-chair; Erin Mroczka, co-chair; Meagan Allers, Christina Jarvis, JoAnn Niebel and Jefferson Westwood.