September 18, 2014
In last week’s NESCAC News column, The Spectator noted that on September 6, more than 700 Trinity students participated in the college’s “Do It Day.” On this day, Trinity students volunteer their time and services throughout the city of Hartford, Conn. Hamilton’s annual version of Do It Day, called “Make a Difference Day,” occurred this past weekend, on Saturday, Sept. 13. Like Trinity’s event, Hamilton students volunteer at various sites throughout the local Mohawk Valley community.
While one should always use caution in comparing two different events at two different schools, the events and the schools are undoubtedly similar. The one striking difference between the two events, however, is that Trinity’s event receiving an overwhelming outpouring of support, while Hamilton’s received a meager turnout of around 150 people giving up a few hours of their Saturday to volunteer.
Though we recognize and applaud the efforts of the students who did participate, The Spectator would like to point out that in order to “Make a Difference,” there needs to actually be a student body willing to make a difference. There is often talk about the relationship, or lack thereof, between the College and the greater community. One of the ways in which we as a student body can improve or—even better, build—a relationship is by volunteering in the community in which we now reside.
Students at Hamilton College often complain that there are not enough things to do in the area surrounding Hamilton, but this is a shortsighted view. The Mohawk Valley may not be as bustling as cities such as New York or Boston, but like all cities and towns throughout America and around the world, there are always ways to get involved in community service. Let’s face it, there are more meaningful things to do off the Hill than just going to the VT, Dunkin Donuts and Mitsuba.
So what can we do? There’s no excuse; there are plenty of resources here on campus that you can use to find an activity that best suits you. For example, HAVOC is dedicated to placing students with volunteering outfits in the community. There are also other organizations you can get involved with such as Project SHINE in Utica (to help refugees learn English) or America Reads (to teach second graders at a Utica elementary school how to read). If you would prefer to stay on campus, there is also the Sidekicks organization that is a great way to help give younger kids a role model to look up to, or Study Buddies, an on-campus tutoring opportunity. Regardless of what you are interested in, there is an organization that you can volunteer with.
Trinity College cites the dedication of its athletic groups and Greek organizations for donating their time volunteering on their “Do It Day.” We encourage that same participation of not just our athletic groups and Greek organizations, which do tend to do a good job of volunteering in the community, but also of other on-campus organizations. If we all pitch in, we truly can make a difference in our community.
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