November 2010—Skidmore Cares
Skidmore Cares is a campuswide endeavor that collects food items, money and school supplies and delivers them to local service agencies during the holiday season, at a time when many families are feeling the economic pinch.
The four beneficiaries of the Skidmore Cares food drive are the Saratoga County Economic Opportunity Council (EOC), Franklin Community Center, Salvation Army and Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Services of Saratoga County.
Cash donations will be given to Mary’s Haven, a local Hospice home, and to ASPIRe N.Y. (Autism Spectrum Peer Integration & Recreation of New York). A large portion of this funding this year comes from the proceeds of "Beatlemore Skidmania,” the college’s annual concert of Beatle music performed by students, faculty, and staff. This year's concerts—there were two due to the overwhelming demand for tickets—were organized by the "Music Between Us" Scribner Seminar, taught by Professor Gordon Thompson.
School supplies will be delivered to the Corinth School District and to the EOC’s Latino Community Advocacy Program.
Skidmore Cares was launched in 2006 by Skidmore President Philip A. Glotzbach and his wife, Marie, to enhance the meaning of the annual campus holiday gathering. This year the Open House will take place at the Surrey Williamson Inn on Sunday, December 12, and will be hosted by Skidmore Acting President Susan Kress and her husband, Jack Kress. Faculty, staff and their families can drop off their donations in a sleigh in front of the Inn when they attend the Open House. For those unable to attend the event, the sleigh will be available for “drive-by” donations over the weekend.
(photo by Chris Weigl '11)
Food Assignments and Representatives
| Food items | Representative(s) | |
| Student Affairs | ||
|
Tuna |
Jen Burden | |
|
Canned meats |
Robin Adams, Ann Marie Przwara | |
|
Boxed rice and pasta |
Darren Drabek, Penny Loretto | |
| Boxed mashed potatoes | Sherry Ankeny | |
| Academic Affairs | ||
| Soups (canned and dry) | Roy Rotheim | |
| Peanut butter | Alex Chaucer, Barbara Norelli | |
| Jam or jelly | Dave DeConno | |
| Canned fruit and vegetables | Marianne Needham | |
| Hot cereal | Susi Kerr | |
| Mac and cheese | Barbara McDonough | |
| Powdered milk | Aletheia Taylor | |
| Finance/administration | ||
| Cold cereal | Larry Britt | |
| Juice (box or can) | Bob Carlton | |
| Pasta sauce | John Batch | |
| Healthy snacks (non perishable) | Michelle Mink | |
| School supplies | Judy Messore | |
| Money for school supplies | Joanne Dwornik, Colleen Manning | |
| Condiments (sugar, salt, pepper, mustard, mayo, ketchup, etc.) | Patti Heritage | |
| Admissions | ||
| Mac and cheese | Jeannie Eddy, Sarah Ireland | |
| President's Office | ||
| Mac and cheese | Karen Ernst | |
| Advancement | ||
| School supplies | Karen Garnsey, Joe Porter | |
| School supplies | Megan Mercier | |
December 2010: Skidmore Cares unites campus in effort to help community
As the holidays approach and the fall semester wraps up at Skidmore College, students, faculty and staff are making a concerted effort to help those in need in the surrounding communities.
The lead program in this effort is Skidmore Cares, a campuswide endeavor that has collected and delivered more than 1,630 food items, a wide array of school supplies and cash donations at a time when many area families are feeling the economic pinch.
Three local food banks are beneficiaries of this year's food drive: the Saratoga County Economic Opportunity Council, Franklin Community Center and Salvation Army. The school supplies have been delivered to the Corinth School District and the Latino Advocacy Program of the Saratoga County Equal Opportunity Program.
Skidmore Cares has donated the money raised to Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Services of Saratoga County;Mary's Haven, a local Hospice home; the Corinth School District; and Autism Spectrum Peer Integration & Recreation of New York (ASPIRe N.Y). The fundraising effort was boosted by proceeds from "Beatlemore Skidmania," the college's annual concert of Beatle music performed by students, faculty and staff. The performances were organized by the "Music Between Us" Scribner Seminar, taught by Professor of Music Gordon Thompson.
"The generosity of the Skidmore community was evident once again as students and staff from the college delivered an assortment of school supplies and a donation to the district," said Daniel Starr, superintendent of the Corinth public schools. "The supplies will be given to students in the elementary and middle schools, while the funds will be used to augment our after-school enrichment program."
Skidmore Cares was launched in 2006 by Skidmore President Philip A. Glotzbach and his wife, Marie, to enhance the meaning of the annual campus holiday gathering at Scribner House, the president's home. This year, during the Glotzbachs's sabbatical leave, the event was overseen by Acting President Susan Kress and her husband, Jack Kress, and took place at the college's Surrey Williamson Inn on North Broadway.
Faculty, staff and their families dropped off their donations in a sleigh on the front yard at the inn when they attended the open house on Sunday, December 12. For those unable to attend the event, the sleigh was available for "drive-by" donations over the weekend. The collection effort was spearheaded by campus "cheerleaders" in each division of the college.
Skidmore's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee organized the student component of the program, which focused on the collection of food and cash within the residence halls.
Said Skidmore Acting President Susan Kress, "Jack and I were honored to continue the tradition that Phil and Marie Glotzbach began. With unemployment so high at this time, the need is greater than ever. We're very proud that so many students, staff and faculty participated in Skidmore Cares this year."