Winter - Jefferson Community College

North Country Community at the Heart of JCCThe spirit of giving is evident at Jefferson year-round! Faculty, staffand students are busy all semester long organizing, collecting, raising,and volunteering their time and resources to benefit the NorthCountry community. However, the giving doesn’t stop at the NewYork State line. The spirit of giving at JCC extends to those aroundthe globe, including to our nation’s soldiers stationed overseas.Phi Theta Kappa Fundraisers Reach Home and AbroadIn December, members of JCC’s chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK)honor society donated hundreds of toys to the Department of SocialServices (DSS) Foster Care unit in Jefferson County. “Many childrenin foster care come from low income families so birth families can’tafford to buy gifts, or many gifts, so most of the time foster parentsbuy gifts out of their own pocket,” says Karen N. Mullin, DSS fostercare adoption supervisor. “This (donation) helps both the fosterchildren and their foster parents.”Additionally, PTK raised $115 over the course of two days to purchasemedical supplies and food for missions going to Haiti.Putting the Focus on LiteracyMelvil Dewey Library staff are longtime advocates for literacy andto show their support they hold an annual book drive on campusin conjunction with the Literacy of Northern New York book drive.Over the past ten years, the library has donated over 5,500 booksto Literacy of Northern New York. This year, the library staff andmembers of the JCC criminal justice club collected more than 1,000children’s books, doubling the number of books collected during lastyear’s campus book drive.The books are distributed to North Country children through theSalvation Army’s Christmas Give Away Program.Relay for Life Team Going Strong in 9th YearJCC’s Relay for Life team first formed in 2003 and over the past eightyears, the team has raised more than $36,000 to support the AmericanCancer Society. From holding scrapbook crops to PamperedChef fundraisers to frequent bake sales, the team maintains greatmomentum even though its membership, comprised of faculty, staffand students, can change from year to year.Sending Christmas Cheer to U.S. Soldiers OverseasMembers of the JCC Street Team participated in the American RedCross holiday mail for heroes project soliciting student interest andcompiling 500 Christmas cards in just one day. Cards, mailed bythe Red Cross and Pitney Bowes, are for U.S. soldiers separated fromfamily during the holidays while serving overseas. “We believe thatthe soldiers do so much for us by laying their life on the line thatwe need to give a little something back,” says Kari Raven, JCC streetteam president.Making a Difference in MexicoIn February, JCC staff members Laurie LaMora and Sharon Chapatraveled to Ensenada, Mexico to help rebuild homes for familiesin need through the Youth with a Mission organization’s Homes ofHope Program. Sharon and Laurie, with members of Ensenada HopeBuilders, helped build 16’ x 20’ homes to relocate families living inmountainside dugouts, shacks, cars and other unimaginable settings.Qualifying families generally earn less than $75 per week. Thiswas Sharon’s first trip and Laurie’s seventh trip with the EnsenadaHope Builders.Making the Holidays Brighter for North Country ChildrenFor the past twenty years, the College has sponsored a SalvationArmy Angel Tree to provide a little Christmas to North Country children(angels) ranging in age from birth to 17-years old. “Needs of thelocal community are visible this time of year,” says Rebecca Riehm,associate professor of sociology at JCC and angel tree coordinator.“Student civic responsibility is evidenced through their spirit ofunrequited giving to better the lives of others,” says Riehm.JCC athletes recently donated more than $200 to the JCC Relay forLife Team and even helped a former Cannoneer in a more directfashion during the fall semester. The men’s and women’s basketballteams donated $500 in proceeds from the Robert F. Williams AnnualAlumni Games to JCC alumna Joy Williams Zimmerman who hasbeen diagnosed with cancer. Joy played for the women’s basketballteam from 1990-1992 and is the all-time leading rebounder with 780points, 4th all-time leading scorer and a NJCAA All-American.JCC Community Continues to Support United WaySince 1964, Jefferson’s campus community has supported the missionof the United Way of Northern New York. In 2006, JCC receivedthe United Way Community Spirit Award. This past November, JCCfaculty and staff contributed nearly $16,000 to the 2010 United WayAnnual Campaign.Two of the things that you hope each student leaves JCC with is adesire to continue learning and a desire to make a difference in ourcommunity. Volunteer, service learning and internship opportunitiesgive students the chance to apply what they learn in the classroom ina way that contributes to the community. As these students becomegraduates and take their place in our communities, the choices theymake are then based on a sound foundation. Continued learning is essentialto continued progress. Our current students may well becomecommunity leaders in a few years.- Connie Holberg, library directorJefferson Insider Winter 2011 • 6