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With one year of experience under its belt, Change for Change began the 2002-03 campaign at Amherst College more focused than ever before. With 3 key members studying abroad, Mike Proman '03 led a senior-dominated group in two collections that raised nearly $2,000. The first collection tabulated over 100 student votes, and when the process commenced, Capacidad emerged as the recipient of nearly $1,000. In the second collection, Nuestras Raices ran away with the vote. Heidi Alexander '03, Rory Miller '03, Jeff Bogino '03, Jesse Weber '03, Katie Gravel '03 and Leigh Burwell '03 combined to formulate a strong nucleus of ideas while first-year students Joanna Merrill '06 and Dan Savage '06 got involved and added an underclass presence to the second year organization. Through a renewed partnership with Outreach at Amherst, Change for Change was able to generate excellent exposure and become more visible on campus. Local night club, Atlantis, became a partner and helped promote CFC on campus by awarding prizes to the individuals guessing the closest to the amount raised in each collection.
As Change for Change makes the turn and starts the home stretch for the '02-03 school year, strengthening an underclass presence will be a priority. With the return of Annie MacRae '04, Jaime Fisher '04, and Danielle Billinkoff '04 from abroad, Change for Change will have a full house on campus. Sophomore Chris Riordon '05 has pledged to get involve and help promote the organization to new areas of campus. Macrae will lead Change for Change in the spring while Merrill will gain excellent experience shadowing her. With all the pieces coming together, it is sure to be a fantastic semester and produce the momentum that Change for Change will need as it prepares for its third year in the Pioneer Valley.
An Update from Amherst
After concluding an amazing inaugural year by raising $5,000 in four collections, Change for Change enters its sophomore campaign at Amherst College with high expectations for 2002-2003. Along with improving participation and philanthropic donations to local charities, we will put a large emphasis on securing sponsorships within the local business community and fostering relationships with the other five colleges in the region.
>We are thrilled to continue partnering with Fleet Bank, and we are proud to announce that Atlantis will help strengthen local support with promotional events and fund-raising during the year.
Change for Change Amherst Founder Mike Proman '03 returns to campus after spending the second semester of the 2001-2002 year in China, and he will help coordinate efforts while President Annie Macrae '04 studies in London until December. Treasurer Jeff Bogino '03 and Events and Sponsorship head Jesse Weber '03 return to their respective roles, and after returning to campus second semester, Jaime Fisher '04 and Danielle Billinkoff '04 will help Change for Change close out the year. Heidi Alexander '03 will again work with athletics to help coordinate collections, while classmates Nikki Sandoz '03, Jen Inra '03, and Leigh Burwell '03 will act as liaisons to the RCs and other administrative leaders. John Edwards '04 helped Change for Change promote itself during its first year, and will assist again this year. Katie Gravel '03, new to Change for Change, has already made a huge impact in 2002-assisting in summer preparations for the upcoming school year.
Implementing Change for Change at Amherst has been a huge challenge. As the student-run organization looks to the upcoming year, there are a few people who deserve special thanks. We would like to thank the following campus leaders for their support: Dean Chari Boykin-East and Betsy Marble (Housing Office), Peter Goodingand Kevin Graber (Athletics), Mitch Koldy (Custodial Services), Dean Ben Lieber and President Tom Gerety(Administration).
Change for Change is always looking for enthusiastic members. Whether you are looking for a large role or just want to help encourage your classmates to "do the right thing," there is never a better time to get involved with the fastest growing organization on campus. We look forward to a fantastic year of once again showing how small change makes BIG CHANGES.
Two down, Two to go!
Change for Change Amherst has been part of Amherst College for only six short months. However in this time, we are almost half way to reaching our goal of $5,000 in our inaugural year. We have held two collections thus far, and students' spare change has accumulated to $2,143.24. We are planning the final two collections as we speak, and voting for our third charity is taking place online now.
Our next collection will be on Tuesday, March 12, 2002 beginning at 10pm. The spring athletes are in charge of collecting for this third collection.
The fourth and final collection of the 2001-2002 academic year is scheduled for Monday, May 6, 2002. We plan to have another group on campus help with this collection, perhaps one of our many choral groups.
Our primary goal this semester is to increase the participation rate and reach our goal of $5,000 by the end of the year. In addition, we hope to involve the faculty in our final collection. We are lucky to have as our faculty advisor, our college president Tom Gerety. Working with President Gerety, we hope to hand out collection containers to faculty members at the next meeting. We are also working to form area partnerships, keep in close contact with our winning organizations, and create a fund-raiser for Change for Change in coordination with Social Council for spring weekend. Finally, we are eager to meet with other college students and presidents in the region to expand Change for Change in the local area.
Successful First Semester in Amherst Inaugural Year
The first Change for Change Amherst collection took place in October 2001. The football, field hockey, volleyball, men's and women's soccer, and men's and women's tennis teams gathered to collect the change from all thirty-three dorms on campus. As we sorted the bags, we each estimated how much money we had collected, with the highest estimate totaling $400. The next day, our partner Fleet Bank notified us that we had collected $941.75! Needless to say, we were thrilled. Students voted online prior to the collection and selected Jessie's House, a shelter in Northampton, to be the beneficiary of the funds received. Change for Change Amherst Founder Michael Proman '04, President Annie MacRae '04 and Organization Representative Jamie Fisher '04 were present at the check presentation ceremony where they had the privilege of meeting Jessie herself.
Monday, December 10, 2001 was the second collection. We had high hopes of raising over $1,000, but surpassed our goal by raising $1,201.49 for the Amherst Shelter for Adolescents (ASA), a transitional living shelter for at-risk teenagers. This time, winter athletes went dorm to dorm to collect change. We had a contest to guess how much we would raise in Valentine dining hall the night before the collection. Reed Knox '04 and Leigh Burwell '03 won $25 gift passes to Cinemark Movie Theatres for the closest guesses. Michael, Annie and Jamie again presented the check to ASA program director Glenroy Buchanan. For this second collection, our goal was to increase publicity and incentives. For example, the dorm that collected the most change, North College, will receive Sugar Jones Cookies.
Thank you to the varsity athletes who have been so instrumental in each collection. Thank you to our dedicated representatives, the resident counselors, and all the students for your enthusiasm. We are thrilled to have established such an important project successfully on campus and look forward to many semesters where small change will continue to make big changes! |
Amherst presented Nuestras Raices, a program that manages the community gardens in Holyoke, with a check for $793.24 on March 4, 2003.
The chapter presented Capacidad, an after-school program for 5-12 year olds, with a check for $968.13 in February 2003.