Giving back to the community is a Dutchess Community College tradition – particularly during the holidays. And for DCC, the season of giving began around Thanksgiving.
A drive to support the DCC Pantry provided holiday meals for many individuals and families in the college community. Also, in support of the DCC Pantry, the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society organized a hygiene item drive, collecting toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, lotion, shampoo and a host of toiletries.
In December, the DCC community organized two separate drives to support the Children’s Home of Poughkeepsie. Staff and faculty were invited to bring a gift from a wish list provided by the Children’s Home to the College’s annual holiday gathering. Hundreds of gifts were collected, ranging from games and books to clothing, hats and boots.
In efforts led by nursing student Christina Evans, the Nursing Club also collected items for the Children’’s Home. For a first-time effort, Evans and the Nursing Club were pleased with the collection. Items gathered included adult coloring books, pencils, slipper socks, throw blankets, pajamas, craft sets, jewelry-making kits and games.
For the Association of Women of Dutchess Community College (AWDCC), it was the fourteenth time the group has collected holiday gifts for the River Haven Shelter and Youth Support Housing Programs. The drive, led by Bonnie Gallagher, director of the DCC library, continued the college’s tradition of sharing the holiday spirit with another year of overwhelming generosity. Some of the young people of River Haven are runaways, some have no family, some have young children of their own, and some are DCC students. The AWDCC, on behalf of the entire DCC community, is happy to continue this tradition yet again.
