Service Committee

And They're Off!

Even before the first school bell rang, the Service Committee was getting in gear organizing collection drives. Faculty Moderator Diane McCue reports, "We have two current drives: school supplies for the Haitian Health Foundation (bin in front foyer) and we continue to recycle e-waste (container in front foyer) and the money we receive goes to the New London Soup Kitchen."

Annual Volunteer Fair

Though there is no service requirement at Williams, students find ways to give back and give of themselves. It is simply an intrinsic part of the culture at school. The Service Committee is holding the Volunteer Fair assembly Thursday, September 17. After presentations by students and representatives of local nonprofits, the student body will be able to sign up for various volunteer opportunities, both on and off campus.

Meetings

Service Committee meetings will be held weekly during Wednesday snack in room 221. All are welcome. Additional meetings will be scheduled before events as needed.

Coffeehouses

The first of three coffeehouses for the year will be held on Friday, October 30 to raise awareness of homelessness locally, nationally and globally. The proceeds will go to the New London Homeless Shelter.

Leaders

Service Committee Leaders for 2009-10 are Anna Daren ’10, Alex Lin ’10, Caroline Mills ’10, Marissa Peck ’10, and Kara Shannon ’10.

Project leaders include:

Alliance for Living: Carly Mattson, Monique Nelson
Beechwood Nursing Home: Constancia Malahias
Big Brothers/Sisters: George Matthiessen
BP Learned: Haley Blair, Arianna Dayharsh, Olivia Zoufaly
Children’s Museum: Constancia Malahias
Drop-in Learning Center: Hilary Bokoff, Millie Moore
Haitian Health Foundation: Anna Daren
High Hopes Therapeutic Riding: Zach Agostine, Kara Shannon
Lyman Allen Art Museum: Zakiya Thomas-Keyton, Kara Shannon
Soup Kitchen (New London Community Meal Center): Aaron Davis, Sam Miceli
Women's Center: Grace Beggins

Events and Drive Leaders include:

Cinderella Project: Michelle Devoe
Coat Drive: Anna Daren
Coffee Houses: Taylor Bickford, Aaron Davis, Miles Sherman
Earth Day: whole committee
Environmental issues: Alex Lin, Ran Liu
Holiday Angels (aka Polar Express): Annie Marcinek, Marissa Peck
Hungry Country Lunch: Anna Daren, Caroline Mills
Thanksgiving Can Drive: Nate Roy, Sam Pieniadz
Walk for MS: Alex Ivimey

Faculty Coordinator Diane McCue invites all students to add their name to the list and get involved.

Accomplishments 2008-09

The Service Committee made a great difference last school year, including:

• Parents and faculty joined students in a successful November Service Committee Coffeehouse, which raised $1,200 to purchase two Happy Houses through the Haitian Health Foundation's program.

• The Hungry country Lunch day netted approximately $1,000 to be split between the St. Vincent de Paul’s Place in Norwich ($400) and The New London Community Meal Center ($600).

• The sweat pants day raised $67, which Arianna Dayharsh ’10 and Grace Beggins ’10 used to purchase socks for the Women’s Center.

• A small participation in Trick or Treat for UNICEF raised $60.

• Service Commitee assembled 20 Thanksgiving baskets for Alliance for Living, complete with turkeys.

• The prolific coat drive is sending some coats to The Women’s Center and some to Alliance for Living. The drive will continue through the cold weather.

• Responding to a special plea by Marilyn Lowney ’87, Service Commitee has collected two bins of underwear to send to Haiti.

• Williams has begun composting. Our compost will be picked up daily by Connecticut College students and be contributed to their vats. Williams then will have use of the compost for campus plantings.

• Williams Holiday Angel program for Child and Family of SECT supported eight families comprising a total of 36 individuals.