SUMMER 2011 SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN ACTION: A WEEK OF SERVICE IN NEW ORLEANS


Springfield College students Ashley Ryan ’ 13 (middle) and Garrett Brolsma ’ 11 (right) help prepare a community garden in New Orleans.


As the vice chair of the Coalition of Campus YMCAs Executive Board, Garrett Brolsma ’11 was charged with creating a service-based experience for college students and promoting the opportunity to all the campus YMCAs from across the country. Brolsma brought together 13 students from five different campus YMCAs for a week of service in New Orleans. Te group


engaged in construction projects, wetland restoration, elder care, and community gardening. Springfield College had nine student participants, and the group was accompanied by Assistant Director of YMCA Relations Erin Friedman. Te Springfield College volunteers were so inspired by the experience, they hope to continue the program next year through the YMCA Club on campus.


WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER CAMPAIGN


Te YMCA Club, in collaboration with several other student organizations, formed the humanitarian campaign “We’re All in Tis Together” to support relief efforts related to the tsunami in Japan in March 2011. Te campaign has four basic purposes: to educate people about the impact of issues on individuals, to encourage people to live a lifestyle of charity, to promote the practice of living charitably, and to remind people of their commitment to service. Te group organized a kick-off event that featured music; keynote speaker Toshiharu Yanagi, dean of Meio University in Okinawa, Japan (and former executive director of Japan’s Kobe YMCA); and origami crane making. Additionally, the group has been selling wristbands to promote awareness of the campaign’s message. Since late March, the group has raised more than $1,200 for the American Red Cross to aid Japan.


YMCA OFFICE SPONSORS SUMMER CAMP FAIR


Te office of YMCA relations, along with the YMCA Club and the Springfield College Career Center, sponsored the 2011 YMCA Camp Fair on March 1. YMCA camps from around the Northeast interested in meeting students for perspective internships or summer job opportunities attended. Te YMCA representatives also joined the YMCA Club for a discussion at lunch and met with interested students. Many Springfield College students made successful connections for the summer, and the camp representatives enthusiastically agreed that this should continue to be an annual event.


Students from Springfield College and five other universities pose with a New Orleans resident who they helped during their week of service.


YMCA CLUB SPONSORS LEADERSHIP SUMMIT


On March 25, 63 Springfield College students traveled to the Silver Bay YMCA on Lake George, N.Y., as part of the annual YMCA Club Leadership Summit. Te summit, now in its sixth year, is a weekend forum where selected students who have been nominated by campus faculty, staff, and former leadership summit participants travel by bus to Silver Bay for an intensive leadership development experience. Te focus is on exploring one’s personal leadership styles and what it means to be a leader. At the weekend’s conclusion, students are ready to assume leadership roles and/or live their lives exemplifying the qualities that people respect and expect in leaders. Te experience is exclusively planned and implemented by a student leadership team, led by co-chairs Garrett Brolsma ’11 and Sara Graber ’12 and supported by Assistant Director of YMCA Relations Erin Friedman. Director of YMCA Relations Harry Rock also attended the event as the club’s advisor.


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