By VANESSA LANGDON
News Editor
Twenty years ago, Reach Out Saint Rose had its humble beginning, when there were only 30 Saint Rose volunteers reaching out. This past Saturday morning nearly 900 members of the College community donned their Reach Out Saint Rose shirts and fanned out into the community to spend a few hours doing some good.
The volunteers worked at 52 different sites, picking, planting, painting, and being a friend.
One group of students went to Our Lady of Mercy Spiritual Center in Guilderland and assisted five residents on a trip to the local public library. The students helped them each find a book or movie they were interested in.
While they appreciated the books, the companionship was the greater gift.
“Evanni and I worked with the troublemaker of the group, and she was totally content not picking out books but having us just wheel her around,” said Shannon Friel of her and Evanni Conteras’ experience.
Upon entering the facility, the group of seven do-gooders were met with applause.
“One woman said that because there were seven of us, one of us had to come back everyday of the week,” Friel said.
Junior Sarah Murin was one of the students at the Spiritual Center and wouldn’t be opposed to a twist on the woman’s request of increased frequency.
“I think that we should do it more. Have “Reach In Saint Rose” in the spring where we invite people to campus.”
While Murin was being a friend and a helping hand to the elderly, sophomore Alyssa Powell planted flowers at St. Catherine’s Center for Children in Albany.
“I learned how to garden. It’s just cool that something so simple can have a good impact on those kids,” Powell said.
While cleaning up after finishing the landscaping, a young boy came out to thank Powell and the other volunteers for their work with high fives and some slight concerns.
“He was like, I planted an orange seed there. I hope you didn’t dig it up,” she said.
Some students marveled at the ethical and philosophical meaning to the volunteering done by all those involved.
“Although we are just the Saint Rose community, we are actually connected to everyone else in the larger community, just as these other citizens are connected to us,” said James Kennedy, at senior at the College. “We all reside within the same town and I believe our actions of kindness and dedication to give back to our larger community are exactly reflective of what the larger community would do to give back to us if we ever found ourselves in the same situation.”
The over-900 volunteers would have had nowhere to go in the community if it weren’t for the months of work done behind the scenes.
One of those workers was Alicia Sherlock.
“As the big picture everything went really smooth,” said Sherlock of the event’s success.
The power outage last week during the most hectic last-minute planning and organizing period forced the dedicated team to be flexible.
“With the power outage, we were afraid people would’ve gone home so we’d have empty spots, but we had very few blanks,” Sherlock said.
Sherlock worked alongside the “Reach Out Saint Rose Princess.”
That is the unofficial title given to junior Maria Hartz by Joan Horgan, the director of campus ministry for the College.
“If you know me, you know that I regularly call Reach Out my second Christmas. It is my favorite event of the entire year, every year,” said Hartz. “It actually brings tears to my eyes how amazing this event is, and I am constantly surprised by how enthusiastic everyone is about Reach Out.”
This enthusiasm powers Hartz when she’s working tirelessly to make the event possible.
“Somehow, I find joy in spending 10 hour days in the sanctuary prepping, because I know it’s all worth it that everyone enjoys their day.”
Hartz doesn’t spend all that time in the sanctuary alone, but works in tandem with Horgan.
“Joan is truly the main reason why I am so dedicated to this event, because she is such an amazing woman,” said Hartz. “Her amazing work ethic and calming nature kept me going when I didn’t think I could get through the long days of working together.”
She believes that Horgan is the lifeblood powering the group, which has been working non-stop this week and were up and working by 6:45 a.m. on Saturday.
“This event in no way would happen without her, and she is a blessing to me and the entire Saint Rose community,” Hartz said.
Now that this year’s event has come to a close, those who have dedicated their lives to it for months are left at a loss.
“But now what,” said Sherlock. “Now we sleep for days.”
