Seven Nominated for Work-Study Supervisor Award

Published April 17 at 1:12 p.m. by Keuka Staff.

Editor’s Note:  Here is a look at the seven people nominated by students for the Work-Study Supervisor of the Year Award, which will be presented at a luncheon April 18.

According to international student Sini Ngobese ’15 of South Africa, College Chaplain Rev. Eric Detar creates a warm and positive work environment in the Center for Spiritual Life. With his kindness, generosity, compassion and patience, as well as light-hearted spirit, the rewards of working in the CSL office have extended farther than wages, she said.

The work shift begins with a heartfelt smile and greeting and a few moments to catch up and ensure that all is well, Ngobese said. It’s not simply a polite inquiry, she said, “but a genuine interest for my well-being which, as a student who is an ocean and continent away from home, helps me feel welcome, cared for and important.”

Each work shift has enabled her to learn positive skills that will benefit future workplace endeavors, she said. New tasks are explained with patience and stated in a conversational manner, rather than as commands. If ever a mistake is made, Detar never chastises, but rather empowers her how not to make errors in the future.

“He wholeheartedly praises the good, which helps me as the employee feel motivated, important, encouraged, enthusiastic and inspired,” she said, adding that, Detar’s personable demeanor and propensity to share laughter have helped instill a love for the job and a passion for contributions made to the department.

“As a result, I feel more a fundamental part of the office and its prosperity as opposed to a mere work-study employee. Consequently, I have a huge sense of pride for the office, its projects and events,” Ngobese said. However, she added that of all the great experiences gained as Detar’s office assistant, “the best reward of all is the awesome friendship we’ve established.”

According to Lauren Esposito ’15, who works for Moberg-Sarver as a student activites and Campus Activities Board (CAB) assistant, “Eva brings fun and energy into the office” and has helped make it more exciting for Esposito to come to work each day.

“I have never seen her in a bad mood and she is always nice to everyone,” said Esposito. “She truly cares about the campus, especially the students. She challenges me to do better and work harder. She is my inspiration and I look up to her or advice, wisdom, cheering up and just nice conversations.”

Moberg-Sarver has been a “remarkable” addition to the Keuka community, Esposito said, and has put in hard work across the numerous areas of campus activities and events that she oversees. Through a positive personality, Moberg-Sarver gets others excited about happenings on campus and is herself, excited about what is happening.

“Her shining personality makes her more than worthy for this prestigious award,” Esposito said.

One of the first people sophomore Savannah Fuller ’15 met as a freshman was Valerie Webster, co-curricular transcript coordinator and community service coordinator. Fuller received the Experiential Learner of the Month Award as a high school senior in January 2011 and  a partial academic fellowship to attend Keuka.

Knowing that completing at least  50 hours of community service was a fellowship requirement, Fuller, an occupational science major, kept Webster’s name in her head.

“I went into her office and was immediately greeted with enthusiasm and spunk,” said Fuller. “After volunteering at the office, she recommended that I apply for the community service advocate work-study position. Having a supervisor who is passionate about helping others makes being a community service advocate meaningful.”

Webster’s ”unrelenting dedication to her work-study students and enthusiasm for community service are the highly commendable,” said Fuller. “She told me there was always work to be done and that I was always welcome. Knowing this has made working in the office rewarding.”

According to Fuller, Webster “is always on top of the projects in which community service advocates are involved, and knows how to approach any problem we encounter, big or small. Even while on leave due to major surgery, Valerie made it a point to check up on the community service advocates and give us advice.”

Not only does Fuller count on Webster as a supervisor, but also as a friend.

“She is a mother figure to me,” said Fuller. “I count myself among the large number of students who know we can lean on Valerie when we are having a bad day, and are too far away from home to hug our own mothers. Her office is a safe haven when the stressors of college become overwhelming, and her guidance and support have allowed me to build important skills essential to success.”

While Emily Ekstrom ’13 has been TeamWorks! facilitator for just one semester, she said it’s the only work-study job she’s had that has challenged her and made her a better person. She gives a lot of the credit to her work-study supervisor, Molly McGuigan ’11, TeamWorks! manager.

“It is Molly’s first year in charge of the TeamWorks! program, and she has gone above and beyond any supervisor I have ever had on campus,” said Ekstrom.

As an education major, Ekstrom said her work-study job helped prepare her for the challenge of student teaching.

“A large component of this was Molly,” she said. “She helped me build my TeamWorks! facilitating skills so that I could bring them into the classroom for my students. She not only provided me with the materials, but ideas and advice on different lessons I could do with my students.”

Ekstrom said McGuigan provides a challenging work environment, and pushes the facilitators to go outside their comfort levels.

“Molly encourages us to grow as workers and students with a combination of classic team building activities and fresh ideas,” said Ekstrom. Even though TeamWorks! is a student-led program, Molly is there for moral support, which is always welcome when running a program. She knows just what to say to help us through, and I think she is not so much as boss, as she is an older sibling watching over your shoulder. She is there help us when we have a problem as well as celebrate our successes.”

Ekstrom said that whether she wants to chat about an upcoming program, grab a piece of candy, or just talk about a class, one of the best aspects of having McGuigan as a supervisor is her open cubby policy.

“A real benefit of knowing that Molly graduated from Keuka is that she knows what we are going through, and always has some insightful help when we are in a pickle,” said Ekstrom.

According to Samantha Stevenson ’13, who has worked under Jon Accardi, director of campus recreation and aquatics, for the past four years, Accardi has expanded campus intramural programs from just four sports to more than 30 different annual events that go beyond intramural competitions to include overall fitness and health.

“[Jon] does everything he can to try and get more of the student body involved and active in the Weed Physical Arts Center,” Stevenson said.

As a result, many of the new programs or events introduced under Accardi’s tenure were launched by work-study students. Some of these events include yoga, fitness boot camp, Zumba, a dodgeball tournament now in its sixth year, a rewards program that marks 30-, 45- and 60-day uses of the fitness center with small prizes, and an obstacle-course event last year that has morphed into a “Zombie” Run event this year. The latter three were created with the inspiration of former students Ashley Valentine, Joe Debar, and Alicia Wimmer.

Accardi interacts with work-study employees in a way that makes them feel like colleagues, not “underlings,” Stevenson said, describing how that includes encouragement and praise, recognition of hard work, and at times, a push to press on in spite of challenges.

“I gained determination and integrity to achieve any goal I set for myself from Jon’s leadership. With these experiences, I have achieved a higher understanding not only of what it means to work hard, but how to motivate others to do the same,” Stevenson said, calling him one of her greatest mentors.  “I know that I’m a better person because of it, and anyone working under Jon in the future will be, too.”

Halie Squires ’13 has worked in the Office of Admissions as a student ambassador for a year-and-a-half. In that time, her work-study supervisor, Tom Jackson, marketing and administrative manager for traditional admissions, has made her believe her role is valuable.

“One of Tom’s main goals in the office is to ensure that the student ambassadors know we are part of the collective whole of the admissions staff,” said Squires, a senior occupational science major. “This is one of his most important roles as our supervisor. He also provides guidance and support to the administrative assistants within the office, ensures prospective students will have a great visit to campus, and collaborates with everyone on campus.”

According to Squires, Jackson also tries to have the student ambassadors connect what they’re learning in class to what they try to achieve in their work-study role.

“During our staff meetings, he encourages us to incorporate our skill sets and background into our tours and interactions with prospective students and their families,” said Squires. “Tom encourages us to work together, ask questions, and be part of a team so that students enjoy their visit to the fullest potential, and make the admissions office run smoothly.”

Squires admits that the admissions office can sometimes be a difficult and stressful place to work, since what needs to be accomplished must be accurate, organized, and completed in a timely manner.

“Tom reassures us that yes, while the work can be challenging at times, it is rewarding,” said Squires. “He knows how to keep us motivated and working toward the goal of admissions—finding students who will enjoy the Keuka College experience. He will tell us, ‘Remember when you’re walking on campus, and see people you took on tour who are now enrolled as Keuka College students? Isn’t that worth the work?’”

Added Squires: “Tom is a wonderful addition to the admissions office, and a phenomenal work-study supervisor. Without him in the office, I am not so sure things would run as smooth as they do.

Rachel Dewey, communications specialist in the Office of Communication and Keukonian co-adviser, was nominated by Danielle Petrilli, editor of the student newspaper.

“Even with her own hectic schedule, Rachel is always willing to talk with the Keukonian staff if they have any concerns with changes made, or if they have questions about how to interview or get in contact with Keuka staff and faculty,” said Petrelli.

Petrilli preaised Dewey for Rachel always having a “welcoming spirit” and being  ”eager to help in whatever way she possibly can, whether it be story ideas, or how to approach a story lead.

“No one deserves this [award] more than her; she is the most flexible person, and is always willing to set up a time that works for us, as well as keeping me informed of her schedule so I don’t just drop in and have her be gone. Rachel keeps us on track, but also allows us to do our jobs without hesitation.”

No Beaches for this Bunch

Published March 29 at 3:24 p.m. by Gretchen Parsells.

Jamaica, Miami, South Padre Island, and Puerto Vallarta are among the Travel Channel’s Top 12 spring break destinations for college students this year.

A destination notably missing is Washington, D.C., probably due to its lack of palm trees and white sand beaches.

But a dozen Keuka College students, who chose to swap suntans for shovels, will travel to the nation’s capital April 1-6 to spend spring break helping those in need. The students, along with Eric Detar, College chaplain, and Tim White, resident director for Blyley and Harrington Halls and a retention counselor, are participating in Keuka College’s annual Alternative Spring Break.

The Keuka team will work with the Center for Student Missions (CSM), which provides urban missions and service experiences for youth, adult, and family groups.

While working in Washington, the Keuka students will prepare and serve breakfast and lunch to the homeless, assist with an after-school program for elementary school children, help with the construction and renovation of a church, and assist at a senior center day care program.

“Right now, we just know each other by name and maybe a couple of other things,” said Detar. “The students who choose to take Alternative Spring Break trips will have a unique shared group experience that no one else will have. By the end of this trip, each of us will be much more than just a face around campus.”

Courtney Ray, a junior social work major from Cato, believes the trip will be an eye-opening experience.

“As a social work major, I anticipate working with the kind of people I will work with in my career,” she said.

Kaysie Burnett, a junior education major from Shortsville, wanted to go on the Alternative Spring Break “because I have never been to Washington, D.C., and thought a service trip would be a good way to spend spring break.”

And while participating in a mission trip may be new to Burnett, helping others is in Nina Fusco’s blood. The freshman occupational science major has been practicing social responsibility through her church since she was 13. But since her church closed several months ago, the Mechanicsville resident has been looking for a service project. So, when she heard about the Alternative Spring Break trip, Fusco jumped at the chance.

“Participating in this trip lets me continue doing something I love to do, and I am looking forward to going,” said Fusco.

So are Penn Yan resident Alicia Parkhurst, who is pursuing her master’s degree in education, and junior Francesca Spina.

Two years ago, Spina, an adolescent social studies major, worked with nine other students at Franciscans for the Poor in Cincinnati, Ohio, for the 2011 edition of Alternative Spring Break.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and it changed my perspective on my life,” said the Rochester resident. “It made me realize how blessed I am and how much I can give to others in need. That is way I want to go to Washington and help again.”

After the students have performed the day’s work, they will have an opportunity for reflection at the Douglas Memorial Methodist Church, and enjoy dinners at ethnic restaurants. Also planned are   visits to the National Mall, Lincoln Memorial, World War II Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

White expects the Keuka group to be impacted by what they see and do while in Washington.

“The work we will do has been going on for a long time, and will continue after we leave,” said White. “We will get a snapshot of what people do every day to help those who need it most. What we get from this trip will be far more that what we give.”

Other students participating in Alternative Spring Break include: Robby Magee, a senior adolescent social studies/special education major from Fairport; Megan Russo, a freshman psychology major from Ceaderville, N.J.; Mattie Waldstein, a senior education studies major from Needham, Mass.; Patricia Wallace, a junior occupational science major from Bath; Lindsay Holmes, a junior occupational science major from West Henrietta; Sean Boutin, a sophomore criminology/criminal justice major from Purling; and Niki Chase, a junior social work major from Oneonta.

Mindful Meditation Makes Debut

Published Feb. 12 at 10:40 a.m. by Gretchen Parsells.

Meditating in silence with palms facing upward and eyes closed would seem a practice reserved for monks.

And while Keuka College has played host to the Venerable Lama Tenzin Yignyen, an ordained Tibetan Buddhist monk, meditation can also fit into the lives of Keuka students, faculty and staff.

So says Nicole Hunt, mindfulness meditation instructor, who will begin weekly meditation sessions Tuesday, Feb. 12. The program is cosponsored by the Center for Spiritual Life (CSL) and Academic Success at Keuka (ASK).

Hunt wanted to bring meditation to the College to show students how to focus their attention.

“You have the power to choose where you want your attention to go and sometimes we don’t understand that,” explained Hunt, who also teaches tai chi classes at the College. “I want to show the College community how to focus its attention on the positive things in their lives and not so much on the negative things. I want to teach the community to respond more and react less.”

Mindful meditation is a research-based form of meditation derived from a 2,500-year-old Buddhist practice. A secular technique for enhancing positive life skills, mindful meditation has been shown to reduce stress, develop balance and prioritization, and increase the effectiveness of interpersonal and intrapersonal activities, among other benefits.

College Chaplain Rev. Eric Detar says the CSL is interested in the success of students in their academic, spiritual, and personal lives.

“Meditation has been growing in popularity across campuses nationwide, and by offering meditation at Keuka, we have another opportunity to help students succeed,” he said.

And that is music to the ears of Jeffrey Carter, academic skills counselor for ASK and an adjunct instructor in the Accelerated Studies for Adults Program (ASAP).

“The primary focus of ASK is retention through academic support, and we see meditation as another retention tool for our students,” said Carter. “Meditation sessions at Keuka are needed because students experience stress and can have scattered thoughts. Meditation can help reduce these while developing more positive life skills.”

Hunt agrees.

“I have always had a deep interest in understanding the mind-body connection,” said Hunt. “Through meditation, we learn to quiet the cognitive mind and awaken our feeling-awareness for the present moment. It is here that intuition and embodied learning can take place.”

Detar says the College is “fortunate to have Nicole,” while Carter hopes the skills Hunt will teach “are such that students can expect a greater focus in their lives, which may translate into better grades.”

“We hope that if a student runs into a conflict with a roommate, the meditation sessions they attended will remind them to stop for a minute, collect their thoughts, and proceed to resolve the conflict,” said Detar. “Meditation can also be useful for those who may have test anxiety and let them breathe, focus, and maybe have a more productive test time.”

Hunt has been practicing movement-based meditation techniques, including tai chi, qigong, and yoga, for more than 10 years, and is in her fourth year teaching mindfulness-based movement techniques at Finger Lakes Community College.

Meditation sessions will be held every Tuesday at 4:30-5:30 p.m. in the Norton Chapel meditation room.

For more information, contact Hunt at nhunt@keuka.edu.

Keuka College Employees Honored at Community Day

Published Feb. 1 at 11:29 a.m. by Gretchen Parsells.

Twenty-seven faculty and staff members were recognized for their service and dedication to Keuka College at Community Day Jan. 29.

Five-year service awards were presented to: Laura Alfieris, assistant director of admissions, Accelerated Studies for Adults Program (ASAP); Matthew Lafler, grounds; Sue Morse, housekeeping; Sandra Teague, administrative assistant for the Division of Occupational Therapy; Carolyn Teter, assistant professor of occupational therapy; and Patricia White, assistant director of admissions, ASAP.

Ten-year service awards were presented to: Andrew Beigel, professor of graduate education; Jerry Hiller, vice president for finance and administration; Billy Jo Jayne, director of development; and Sandra Miller, instructional resource coordinator in the Wertman Office of Distance Learning, ASAP.

Fifteen-year service awards were presented to: Monica Maddox, transfer student admissions counselor; and Patricia Strong, student accounts representative.

A 20-year service award was presented to: Phyllis Bailey, housekeeping.

Merit awards were presented to Eric Detar, chaplain; Jen Mealey, assistant professor of social work; and Kim Morgan, director of admissions, ASAP, as well as members of the Office of Information Technology Services staff: Andy Hogan, manager of information systems and classroom technology; Ed Wallace, manager of information systems; Vickie Tobias, database administrator; Brad Turner, technical support technician; Casey Kendall, senior systems administrator; Rick Edelmann, senior technical support technician; Judy Gilmartin, administrative programmer; Diana Wetmore, administrative assistant; Justin Krog, program developer; Josh Middleton, senior technical support technician; and Josh Ficks, project manager/business analyst.

A Presidential Award for Sustained Outstanding Achievement was presented to Lisa Starkey-Wood, assistant director of admissions.

College Pays Tribute to Veterans

Published Nov. 10, 2012 at 10:20 a.m. by Doug Lippincott.

Keuka College marked Veterans Day with a presentation by Chris Leahy, associate professor of history and a prayer of remembrance by Rev. Eric Detar, College chaplain.

Members of the Penn Yan VFW sounded a 21-gun salute and played Taps at the end of the service held Nov. 9 at the World War II memorial.

Leahy’s remarks follow:

“Sixteen million men and women served for the United States in some military capacity in World War II; 10 million men served in combat. These men are dying at a rate of nearly 1,000 per day.

“1, 789,000 served in combat during the Korean War; these men are also dying at a rapid rate.

“8,744,000 served in combat in Vietnam; 698,000 men and women served during the first Persian Gulf War.

“1,048,844 troops have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001. One-third of them served more than one tour. Of course, men and women are combat veterans now.

“Our veterans hold a special place in the hearts of many Americans—indeed, should hold a special place in the hearts of all Americans.

“When Dwight Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander in World War II, addressed the troops on June 6, 1944, as he launched Operation Overload, the Normandy invasion of D-Day, he spoke simply.

“’Full victory—nothing else,’ he said.

“The brave men who stormed the beaches that day and made their way to the cliffs overlooking those beaches, took those words to heart. Forty years later, on the anniversary of that day, President Ronald Reagan was in Normandy. He honored these men with an eloquent and moving speech.

“’These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc,’” he said. ‘These are the men who took the cliffs. These are the champions who helped free a continent. These are the heroes who helped end a war.’”

“He told them: ‘Forty summers have passed since the battle that you fought here. You were young the day you took these cliffs; some of you were hardly more than boys, with the deepest joys of life before you. Yet, you risked everything here. Why? Why did you do it? What impelled you to put aside the instinct for self-preservation and risk your lives to take these cliffs? What inspired all the men of the armies that met here? We look at you, and somehow we know the answer. It was faith and belief; it was loyalty and love.

“’The men of Normandy had faith that what they were doing was right, faith that they fought for all humanity, faith that a just God would grant them mercy on this beachhead or on the next. It was the deep knowledge—and pray God we have not lost it—that there is a profound, moral difference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest. You were here to liberate, not to conquer, and so you and those others did not doubt your cause. And you were right not to doubt.’

“President Reagan spoke these words to the World War II veterans who fought so valiantly on D-Day. But he could well have spoken them to veterans of the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War, or the veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“As could these words, again, forcefully spoken by President Reagan:

“’You all knew that some things are worth dying for. One’s country is worth dying for, and democracy is worth dying for, because it’s the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man. All of you loved liberty. All of you were willing to fight tyranny, and you knew the people of your countries were behind you.’

“Reagan concluded his speech with words that could and should inspire us, as Americans, as we honor our veterans:

“’Strengthened by their courage, heartened by their value [valor], and borne by their memory, let us continue to stand for the ideals for which they lived and died.’

“Veterans of foreign wars, thank you for your service to our country.”

Nuns, Crayons, and Music Men

Published Oct. 31, 2012 at 3:40 p.m. by Gretchen Parsells.

What do a box of crayons, a bag of pepperoni, Flo of Progressive Insurance fame, a prom-going zombie, the Ball Hall tower, and a fox have in common?

They were all characters who won the annual Halloween costume contest held on the Keuka College campus Wednesday, Oct. 31.

Tracy McFarland, associate vice president for student development, portrayed the crayon box, while Eva Moberg-Sarver, director of student activities; Eric Detar, chaplain; and resident directors (RD) Kevin Perry, Tim White, Rebecca Capek, Margeaux DePrez, and Kelsey Deso posed as the crayons.

McFarland and her colorful crew earned first place in the group category.

Junior Ariel Scott (zombie), an organizational communication major from Unadilla, received the top prize in the scariest category, while the most original prize went to Amanda Burlingame, a senior adolescent mathematics/special education major from Keuka Park, for her portrayal as Flo.

The top costumes in the male and female categories went to Nathan Calabria (the fox), and Jennie Snyder (pepperoni). Calabria and Snyder, part of the D.R.I.V.E. program, earned $30 each for their efforts.

For staff and faculty, a Halloween hat contest with desk-to-desk competition, was held. Human Resources Manager Sue Delyser, earned bragging rights with her ‘hat’—the Ball Hall tower.

Each contestant received a gift certificate to the Terrace Café courtesy of AVI Fresh, the College’s food service provider.

More Halloween photos.

College Marks 9/11 Anniversary

Published Sept. 14, 2012 at 12:37 p.m. by Doug Lippincott.

Keuka College marked the 11^th anniversary of 9/11  with a candle-lighting and bell-ringing ceremony at the September 11 Memorial Tree outside Dahlstrom Student Center.

At each time a plane crashed Sept. 11, 2001—8:45 a.m. (North Tower of the World Trade Center); 9:03 a.m. (South Tower of the World Trade Center); 9:43 a.m. (Pentagon); and 10:10 a.m. (Somerset County, Pa.)—the bells in the Ball Hall bell tower rang, and a candle was lit at the base of the tree.

“While it is important never to forget what happened on Sept. 11, 2001, you must also find a way to heal and move on with your life,” said College Chaplain Rev. Eric Detar.

Detar was “touched by the number of people at the service last year, and the number of people personally affected by the tragedy. I listened to the stories students, faculty, and staff told of the people they knew who were in the towers, or who should have been there, but for some reason, were not.”

Before coming to Keuka in 2009, Detar served as associate pastor at Grace United Methodist Church in Indiana, Pa., and fulfilled the role of campus minister to the students at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP).

“The Shanksville field, where United Airlines Flight 93 crashed, is about 45 minutes away from Grace United, and we had a camp—Camp Allegany—that backs up to that field,” said Detar. “Camp Allegany was turned into a place where workers stayed and people received help. Tim [White, residence director for Blyley and Harrington Halls] and I have been to the field, and it seems to me that the people on that plane chose that spot specifically in hopes of saving lives on the ground.”

The tree, planted last year to commemorate the 10^th anniversary of the attacks, also held a vase with one red, one blue, and one white carnation. A plaque by the base of tree reads: “To honor and remember the victims, emergency personnel, and other heroes who died in the attacks on our country.”

Food for Thought

Published Sept. 14, 2012 at 12:35 p.m. by Gretchen Parsells.

At his Growing Power farm in Milwaukee, Wisc., urban farmer and activist Will Allen has turned three acres of industrial wasteland into a mecca of nutrition for his neighborhood.

Allen, who received the MacArthur Genius Award in 2008, is one of the innovators featured in Fresh, a film that will be screened at Keuka College Friday, Sept. 28, at 8 p.m. in Hegeman Hall, room 109.

Part of the Center for Spiritual Life’s (CSL), Faith and the Silver Screen series, Fresh focuses on the rising movement of people and communities across America who are re-inventing our food system. The movie showcases the food architects who offer a practical vision of a new food paradigm by planting urban gardens, creating composts from food waste, buying locally-grown products, and preserving seasonal produce to eat later in the year.

In addition to Allen, the film profiles sustainable farmer and entrepreneur Joel Salatin and supermarket owner David Ball. In Kansas City, Ball has revitalized his community by stocking his stores with produce from a cooperative of local farmers. At Salatin’s farm in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, the movie traces his methods for closing the nutrient cycle, and allowing cows, chickens, pigs and natural grasses to flourish without chemical fertilizers or industrial animal feed.

After the screening, a discussion about the spiritual and life application themes prevalent within the movie will be held.

Admission is free for members of the Keuka College community; a $2 donation is suggested for the general public.

Sign-ups Ongoing for Sponsors, Work Sites and Volunteers for CSCY 2012

Published Feb. 22, 2012 at 8:50 a.m. by Rachel E. Dewey.

While time is running short for local companies or individuals to sponsor the 15^th Annual Celebrate Service… Celebrate Yates day of community service, non-profit agencies anxious to serve as host sites or volunteers eager to lend a literal helping hand still have time to sign up.

During Celebrate Service… Celebrate Yates, Yates County students, families or senior citizens interested in making the community a better place to live and work come together to perform painting, cleaning, building, and repairs to help local non-profit agencies and groups. This year’s event will be held Sunday, April 22, and plans are underway to make it a special one with added touches such as entertainment to mark the 15^th anniversary.

A collaborative effort of volunteers from Keuka College and the Yates County Chamber of Commerce, Celebrate Service … Celebrate Yates would not be possible without support from local organizations, merchants, businesses, and citizens. Individuals or companies interested in sponsoring the 2012 event for $250 or a donation of goods or supplies have until March 1 to contact Mike Linehan, executive director of the Yates County Chamber of Commerce, at (315) 536-3111, or mike@yatesny.com.
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Fort Drum Delivery an “Eye-Opening” Experience

Published Dec. 13, 2011 at 11:26 a.m. by Doug Lippincott.

College Chaplain Rev. Eric Detar had mixed emotions when the last of the College’s three shipments to the 10^th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) in Afghanistan was “returned to sender.”

“I was disappointed that our Keuka College t-shirts and various supplies didn’t get to the soldiers but on the other hand, ‘return to sender’ meant that they had returned home and I was happy for them,” said Detar.

Detar’s emotions turned to all-out joy when he, Resident Director Tim White and three students presented the t-shirts to their adopted platoon in person at Fort Drum Nov. 18.

“We were invited to attend the CAB’s uncasing ceremony,” said Detar, who was accompanied by Samantha Chesnut, a freshman sociology major from Mexico, N.Y.;  Kathryrn Drueschler, a freshman childhood education major from East Aurora; and Amanda Collins, a sophomore early childhoodASL major from Manchester, Conn.

When CAB deployed to Afghanistan two years ago, its colors were cased—taken down, rolled up, and placed into a protective case. Upon its return to Fort Drum, where it is part of the U.S. Army’s 10^th Mountain Division, the colors were uncased, unfurled, and flown.
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