Community Service “Rocks” in Locke Hall
By Quinn McKay ’11

This year, the girls of Locke Hall’s community service group came together to find ways to develop spirit within the dorm, as well as to appreciate others on campus and off. The year began with appreciation cards sent to last year’s prefects to let them know how much they are missed. Kelsey Vella ’11, a returning member of the community service steering committee, thought that the project to encourage Ms. O’Neil before her marathon was one of the best: “The edible arrangement we made for her work in Locke and Ivy was a great success! The whole dorm was excited to give it to her, and it was a nice way to thank her for all that she does for the girls in the dorm.”

As the year progressed, Locke Hall community service took on even more challenges such as helping out Blairstown. The Ladies of Locke (LOL) initiated a drive to stock up the food pantry at the First Presbyterian Church with food and paper supplies. Afterwards, LOL began an initiative throughout the school to collect T-shirts for Iraqi children to be distributed through a connection with a Blairstown resident serving overseas. Blair alone accumulated 48 pounds of T-shirts to send to Iraq. Additional projects included baking for the security guards, celebrating Mrs. Sykes’s birthday, thanking Ms. Machabanski, sending cards to Steve Benedetti’s platoon (he is a member of Class of ’02), and honoring Blair’s own athletic trainer, Mr. Strauss. Rebecca Dewey ’11 said, “I like working together with the girls in our dorm to make the Blair atmosphere and community a more welcoming place.” Participation in the projects unified the dorm. Stephanie Gorman ’11 said, “It was a lot of fun, and I was able to become closer with many students and faculty members through the projects that we did!

Other members of the steering committee not mentioned above included Anu Akinbamidele ’11, Kate Anello ’12, Sam Beck ’12, Lisa Brix ’11, Cynthia Buchanan ’11, Bo Been Chung ’11, Sydney Cordero ’11, Maggie Hoffman ’11 and me. Overall, it was a successful year, thanks to Mrs. Bowditch and the spirited, energetic girls of Locke and Ivy!

Posted 6/8/09

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