SUNY Oswego S.H.O.P. Coordinator Gains Acknowledgment in County News

Posted on April 1, 2019
by Sam Donnelly

Oswego student Ariel Gutman-Gates, manager and coordinator of the campus food pantry, was recently named a Newman Civic Fellow. Newman Civic Fellows are chosen through their actions in improving campus communities and addressing public problems to promote more equitable communities. These individuals are then provided with access to scholarships and a network of past honorees.

The campus food pantry also known as Students Helping Oz Peers (S.H.O.P.), has provided students and faculty of the SUNY Oswego campus with a combination of goods and services. This has been done by means of developing a place to go when they are in need of basic clothing, toiletry and food items. Students and faculty are able to come to the pantry and gather the everyday items they need free of charge. This is done much like a grocery shopping experience. The pantry itself allows its users to browse the shelves for the resources they need through organized sections.

Students Helping Oz Peers does this to provide a place to attain these items, for those who are unable to acquire them on their own, and follows a strict code of confidentiality to ensure that those utilizing the goods and services remain comfortable with the dispersal of their personal information. The shop is also a place for members of the the SUNY Oswego community to seek further information and links to food resources and Health Insurance.

To read more about Ariel’s contribution to our campus community and personal journey, please see the article linked below!

http://www.oswegocountynewsnow.com/news/newman-fellow-ariel-gutman-gates-carries-on-family-tradition-of/article_4b6419f8-5233-11e9-940a-cf3913dd0745.html

A Humbling Experience

Posted on July 8, 2018
by Alesha Barrett

Nine months ago, the island of Puerto Rico was devasted by Hurricane Maria.

Nine months ago, homes were destroyed.

Nine months ago, people were displaced.

Arriving back in the states after helping with disaster relief has allowed me to put many things into perspective. For one, it allowed me to realize how blessed and privileged I am as an individual and as a resident/citizen of the U.S.

Every day, people complain about minor inconveniences in their lives such as slow internet speed, missing their favorite show or even their phones dying. But, for the many homeowners that my service in Puerto Rico has impacted, small inconveniences such as the aforementioned, are laughable.

How can one complain about the internet without power?

How can one complain about missing their favorite show when the very room where you would watch that show, has been destroyed by water damage and mold?

Being in Puerto Rico was beyond humbling for me. It allowed me to see that whenever I feel as though things are uncomfortable for me, there are people who are living through far more serious and uncomfortable hardships.

Living in the states gives us many opportunities to seek the help we need in any situation while others get ignored. Comparing my service in San Juan, Puerto Rico to my service in Port Arthur, Texas, it is clear that one city received much more help than the other. For one, the traffic lights in Texas were up and running while many of the traffic lights in Puerto Rico still remain unrepaired- nine months later.

This trip has allowed me to step outside of my world and add context to what it means to be an American, living in the United States.

Hopefully completing service in Puerto Rico opens the minds and eyes of future students who are a part of the New York “Stand with Puerto Rico” initiative to realize how privileged we are here in the U.S. I hope that it opens their hearts to want to do more for others who are not as privileged and are often forgotten.

Nine months later Purto Rico still remains in need of recovery and yet, the people are so pleasant and welcoming. Truly, a humbling experience that I wouldn’t trade for the world.

SUNY Oswego Takes Puerto Rico!

Posted on June 25, 2018
by Alesha Barrett

As a part of the New York statewide effort to “Stand with Puerto Rico,” several SUNY Oswego students including myself has chosen to embark on a two-week journey in San Juan, Puerto Rico to aid in disaster relief.

In collaboration with the non-profit disaster relief organization, NECHAMA, I have the opportunity to directly impact the lives of homeowners who are trying to recover from the devastation that Hurricane Maria caused.

Day 1:

My group was assigned to repair the roof of an 80-year-old woman. Upon arrival at the site, I noticed the condition of the home and the surrounding homes. It was clear that the roofs of many homes in that area were affected by the storm.

Her roof, which was once the second story of her home had been damaged by several hurricanes over the years causing her to transform it into a roof. Due to several cracks in the concrete, her house often had leaking when it rained.

After speaking with Marta I got to learn a little more about her life. She lost her husband five years ago and currently lives alone. They were married for over 40 years and have two sons together. One of which lives in Puerto Rico and the other residing in Texas. She expressed that her husband did everything for her including building their home so when he passed, it was very hard for her to adjust to living on her own. It was the first time in her life where she had to do things for herself.

Day 1 consisted of scrapping and lifting the old surface of the roof to prepare it to be cleaned and prepped for the sealing and painting of the new roof.

Fast-forwarding to September of 2017 when Hurricane Maria hit, she was faced with overcoming the devastation on her own.

Day 2:

Today was filled with concrete work and preparing the roof to be painted. My team and I dusted and swept the roof, applied concrete to all of the cracks and began applying primer to the surface of the roof. Unfortunately, it started to rain very hard causing the primer we applied to be washed away. Our resilient team, however, was not discouraged and quickly dried the surface and applied the primer for the second time.

Perhaps the highlight of the day was the home cooked meal we were prepared for lunch by our homeowner, Marta. Marta prepared a delicious meal for us to eat (chicken, rice, and beans) to show her appreciation for our efforts to help her with her home.

Day 3:

Today was slower than the previous days in terms of busy work. Since we primed the roof and prepped it to be painted, the only task left to do was to actually paint. While completing this task, a news crew came to Marta’s home to interview the leaders of our group and a few students. We explained to the crew the process of our work and the importance of the “Stand with Puerto Rico” initiative.

Our lovely homeowner Marta, yet again, prepared us a delicious lunch. Today, she made rice and beans with pork chops. It felt great to see how much she appreciates us and which in turn allowed me to put the entire program into perspective.

Sadly, our time with Marta will come to an end soon as we only have one more task to complete to restore her roof. Tomorrow, we will be applying a second coat of paint and then we are off to meet a new homeowner!

Community Service

Posted on June 24, 2018
by Kevin Mercado

There are plenty of ways to be a part of the Oswego community! Living in Johnson Hall prepared me to be involved on campus. Ever since freshmen year, I have tried to make an impact on the community. Below, you will find a list of opportunities to get you involved!

Permaculture (between Lee Hall and Shineman) –

I volunteered for the permaculture on campus. A campus environmental development community service opportunity, created and led by Grace Maxon—in which we were given the opportunity to harvest a fruits and vegetable garden. This event was a hard but rewarding experience. We had to dig, fertilize, and plant to make this happen.

Alternative Spring Break (Habitat for Humanity)-

SUNY Oswego Habitat for Humanity offers volunteer opportunity during winter, spring, and summer breaks. There are numerous locations and different reasonings you go where you go. You are given the opportunity to choose the location with a small fee which covers food, gas, and housing. Some locations range year to year. This summer there was one for Puerto Rico. When I went, I went to Iowa to build a home for a well deserving family. We were only there for a few days during Spring break, but we were able to create all the walls, demolish the old home, and learned to use power tools. Within those five days, we were able to explore different states since it took 18 hours to drive there from Oswego. On the trip, I was able to go to Chicago for the first time and eat real deep dish pizza at the famous “UNO” restaurant.

Red Carpet Crew-

The Red carpet crew is a service that allows upperclassmen to assist resident halls to move in incoming students or returning students. The first day back to school is usually a hectic one, which is why this is such a great opportunity to relieve stress for students, families, and staff. Most students do this because they are able to come back to campus a few days earlier to have everything settled before everyone else comes to campus, while also providing great service to campus.

Mentor Oswego-

Mentor Oswego is a program where college students go to a middle or high school in the Oswego community. Here you are able to reach out to the youth and talk about your experience and answer any questions they may have. When I did it, my job was to get to know a group of students who were having attendance issues and figure out ways to ensure 100% attendance. As a group, we played games, ate lunch, and talked about ourselves and our future aspirations. It was very enjoyable getting to know the kids from the community and build relationships with others.

Overall, I was happy to help and loved the experience of meeting new people. These are just a few community service opportunities available. There are much more and there can never be enough help!

Oz Org of the Week #1 (S.H.O.P)

Posted on September 28, 2017
by Kevin

The Oz Org Of the Week is a social media campaign where clubs and organizations can featured on the campus’s social media channels. To be featured as the Oz Org of the Week all one has to do is drop me a line at kdamoah@oswego.edu.

Our first #OzOrg feature is Kayla Murphy, the SHOP (Students Helping Oz Peers) coordinator. SHOP is a volunteer-based on-campus pantry where SUNY Oswego students can access (and campus members can donate) necessities such as food, clothing and toiletries. SHOP currently has around 15 volunteers and is looking for more.

SUNY Oswego SHOP is open 5-7 pm Mondays, 9-11 am Tuesdays, 5:30-7:30 pm Wednesdays/Thursdays, 11:30 am-12:30 pm Fridays, 11 am-1 pm Saturdays, 11:30 am-1:30 pm Sundays in Room 3, downstairs in Penfield Library. If you are interested in volunteering, donating or have any questions you can email shop@oswego.edu or call 315-312-2446. Also be sure to show S.H.O.P some support by following them on Facebook @SUNYOswegoSHOP.

Hello!

Posted on February 13, 2017
by Carolyn Kelly

Hello! My name is Carolyn and sadly I am a second-semester senior. I say sadly because pretty much the last thing I want to think about right now is graduating. Finding a job, leaving my friends, moving to a new city, and leaving Oswego is all too much to think about. I have been extremely fortunate to have had the experiences I have had in the past four years. I’ve been surrounded by the most amazing people and partaken in the greatest adventures.

Here’s a brief run-down of my involvement on campus over the past four years. I’m a double major in Marketing and Public Relations, a TA for MKT 250 and MKT 467, I’ve held on-campus jobs in both the Res Life and Housing and Campus Life departments, I’ve participated in three internships, I’m a member of PRSSA, I traveled abroad with a quarter class to London, helped build a house in Iowa with Habitat for Humanity and played on several intramural sports teams (actually my first time playing a sport was in college haha).

One of my favorite experiences, by far was through my internship experience this summer. I was an Outside Sales Representative for the AroundCampus Group in the SUNY Oswego Market. This meant that every day I was accountable for selling advertising space in the free student planners that are handed out to students each year (make sure you get one!). Not only are they free, but they include deals and coupons for businesses in the Oswego area. This is a great resource for students and the community. I was able to meet several amazing local business owners in the Oswego area and learn about the rich culture of Oswego. Over the course of the semester, I will be sharing these businesses with you and many of the best places to see/visit/and eat at in Oswego!

#LakerTakeover: Alternative Spring Break

Posted on March 29, 2016
by Tim

SUNY Oswego students Samantha Schou and Rebecca Stroh did a #LakerTakeover as group leaders for an Alternative Spring Break trip to Florence, Alabama. They were part of an Oswego team building homes for Habitat for Humanity.

Alternative Spring Break Iowa 2015

Posted on March 25, 2015
by Krissy O'Farrell

One of the perks of selecting the spring semester as my exchange semester was that I would be able to experience the famous, Spring Break. Growing up in Australia, I would frequently watch American teen TV shows and films which would depicted college students during Spring Break. Thus it was a concept I was familiar with and excited about. Back in Australia we have a “mid-semester break” but this is generally a week where students catch up on their studies, study for exams and rest. Prior to researching my options for Spring Break I assumed that most students went to Florida and partied similar to the film Spring Breakers. This option didn’t really appeal to me because of financial reasons, so I went on the search for alternatives which would still allow me to have fun whilst seeing more of the United States. One of my friends was taking a communications class and her teacher informed her about the alternative spring break trips. She then discussed it with me, we looked at all the different locations which were offered, and we signed up. Prior to arriving in the United States I had no intention of travelling to the MidWest as I did not think the opportunity would arise and in addition to this, it is not exactly the typical tourist destination. We were both excited about the idea of the trip but did not know what to expect.

Our home for the week

SUNY Oswego’s alternative spring break’s are organised through Habitat for Humanity, which is a non-profit organisation. I had heard of this organisation and the worthwhile work they do, so I felt comfortable and safe embarking on this trip. Our group was going to Iowa so we were volunteering with the Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity. This specific location builds between 10-12 homes a year which is an incredible movement to be part of.

Day 1

We travelled through the night in an attempt to preserve whatever sleep patterns we had prior to the trip, and arrived refreshed and ready to explore our new home for the week. We were staying in Cedar Falls, Iowa, in a United Methodist Church, this church was more like a community centre rather than a church. It had modern facilities that we were able to utilise including a basketball court, cinema, games room, three kitchens and general common areas. We spent the day unpacking, becoming familiar with our new setting, preparing for the week ahead and getting to know each other.

Community service project

Day 2

Day 2 marked the beginning of our work week and thus our routines were established. We woke at around 7:30am, ate breakfast as a team, travelled to the site and commenced work at 8:30am. This first day we completed a project in the community. We pulled down a fence which surrounded the oldest property in the area. This was a sensational effort on our part, as initially we were predicted to complete the job in three days, we did it in one. We left the site at 3:30pm and spent the remainder of the afternoon exploring the main street in Cedar Falls and visited the University of Northern Iowa. Our evening traditions emerged which consisted of watching a crazy number of The Cleveland Show episodes, whilst playing trivia board games, before bed at 11pm.

Day 3

Once we arrived on site, we were advised that we would be working in the warehouse and creating the exterior frames of a house. I was clueless about framing but fortunately we had an excellent instructor. Framing is reading a wall plan, following the measurements, doing

St Paddy’s Day!

some basic calculations, cutting the wood to size, fitting the wood together, and nailing the wood together. It’s quite a process. The first day it took each team all day just to complete one wall each as we were all still learning. It was actually St. Patrick’s Day, so after we had finished work for the day, we decided as a team to celebrate by getting a McDonald’s Shamrock Shake – we do not have these in Australia so I was very excited. In the early evening we attended a dinner which the church was hosting, this was great as we were able to interact with and meet some community members. Several of us decided to go for a jog in the later afternoon – it was beautiful. I really enjoyed being in the fresh air and seeing more of the town.

Day 4

Once agin we were framing, we became slightly better and each team

Framing

managed to complete either two or three frames, we saw this as a significant improvement. I discovered that I am allergic to saw dust as even with a ventilator my throat was still irritated. This was annoying but didn’t put a damper on my day as I knew I just had to endure several more days. After we had finished work for the day we went to the local sports complex which was fantastic. We worked-out individually for around half the time, before coming together and having an epic volleyball game.

Day 5

Day 5 was the last day of framing and by this point we were serious pros. At the end of the day, we had actually completed the entirety of the exterior walls of a home. We were really proud of this effort as not only had all of our construction skills improved, we were the ones responsible for these frames being completed which a family in need would eventually live in. Once we left the site we returned to the church where we had Brinner (breakfast for dinner – duh); it was incredible. We then went downtown to explore the main street more, purchased specialty popcorn and checked out the local ice-cream parlour where we devoured some tasty treats.

Photoshoot!

Day 6

Day 6 marked our last day working for Habitat and it was bittersweet. We spent the morning doing another community service project which consisted of pulling down a handicap ramp, and then spent the rest of the day assisting with cleaning up the warehouse and yard before finally doing a photoshoot as a team and saying our goodbyes to the Habitat team. We spent the afternoon packing our bags and napping before heading out for a Mexican dinner and attending a semi-professional Ice hockey game. The Ice hockey game was like nothing I had ever witnessed before. The fans were all shaking their cow bells when their team had possession, and the hosts were engaging with the audience through shouting and dancing competitions. My seat was apparently lucky as I won a coupon for a local ribs outlet.

Day 7

Chicago!

We hit the road at 7am, Chicago bound. We arrived in Chicago around noon and driving into the city was sensational as we were able to see the skyline and the Willis (Sears) tower very clearly. My first impression of Chicago was that the city is a smaller version of New York City. We explored Millennium Park and I was in awe the entire time. I was so excited to see the Big Bean and couldn’t wait to see what else the city offered. We passed the Chicago river which was still a hint of green from St. Patrick’s Day, and also walked down the Navy Pier. I was amazed by the pier, and Lake Michigan’s beauty. It was one of the most beautiful shades of blue I had ever seen. We had intentions of walking down the magnificent mile and shopping, however our stomach’s interfered with this plan and instead we went to Pizzeria Uno to eat the original Chicago-style deep-dish. We waited around an hour and a half for this pizza, but in my opinion, it was worth it. The pizza had a fruit pie-like base with fresh toppings. After two slices I was uncomfortably full. By this point it was around 5pm and it was time to go. We once again drove through the night and arrived back at campus at approximately 5:20am. Although it was a long day, this day was one of the best days of my life.

The group

Final thoughts

We all agreed that the trip was a very worthwhile experience and I would certainly recommend it to students looking to do something different during their break. Working for Habitat put life into perspective for me, and allowed me to see how fortunate, blessed and lucky I am. I want to give back where I can, and prior to this trip I found it difficult to discover these kinds of organisations which were inline with my visions and values. Habitat provides this opportunity in a safe environment with the chance to learn useful, valuable skills. The kinds of people that you meet on these alternative trips are a special kind, I feel it takes a certain type of person to be willing to sacrifice their break in order to go and do community service. I am sure that the friendships which were formed during this trip will last in years to come.

Thankyou SUNY Oswego for providing me with this opportunity, thankyou to the incredible group I was able to experience this with, and a massive thank-you to Scott Ball for being an incredible leader and role model.

Peace Out

Oswego Students Set out to Make a Difference

Posted on October 1, 2013
by Kristen Burke

Many times college students have a reputation of not being beneficial to their communities or active participants towards making a difference. However, I, along with the Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) fraternity have set out to prove that this is simply not the case here at SUNY Oswego.

Oswego Community Cares Day, being held on October 13th at The American Foundry (behind Fajita Grill), was conceptualized in May of last semester and has grown ever since. Hundreds of volunteer hours have been dedicated to this project; which raises funds for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. St. Jude’s mission is advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of our founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family’s ability to pay.

With the brothers of TKE, I have set out to create an event that is appealing and friendly for both the SUNY and City of Oswego communities. In addition to raising both awareness and funds for an amazing cause, the event serves to bridge the gap between both entities.

As a college student, it is important to get involved in any way you can, and use your skills to help others around you. We may feel secluded and as if we are not a part of the Oswego County community as a whole; but the SUNY campus is a huge and key part of the city in my opinion.

There are many volunteer opportunities available through the plethora of organizations on campus. One way to find out when these opportunities arise is to sign up to get emails from the Volunteer Opportunities list by going here. You can also find additional opportunities on the new Laker Life website.

Personally, I have seen firsthand the graciousness of members of the community when I have volunteered at events such as BucFest at Oswego High School or through programs such as Adopt-A- Grandparent. Our help and time truly means a lot to those in need.

It is easy in life, especially in college, to get sucked into the thought that we are in our own little world and nothing else matters. Volunteering and helping those in need is a great way to be reminded that the world is bigger than the problems we are all dealing with in our daily lives.

I have always had a passion for helping others and using my Public Relations talents and skills to promote events to raise money for good causes. Event planning has also been a way I have been able to help others. Working on Oswego Community Cares Day with TKE has been a pleasure and I look forward to the event!

It would be an honor to see a great turn out at this event, which is next Sunday, October 13th at The American Foundry (right behind Fajita Grill) from 4-6pm. Tickets are just $15 which includes a delicious Chicken BBQ dinner and raffle tickets. Amazing prizes will be up for grabs including a signed Macklemore CD as well as many gift cards from local establishments. Entertainment will be provided by Oswego student performers. Tickets can be purchased online by clicking here or at the door the night of the event.

For more information, leave a comment below or email foretheecause@gmail.com