COMMUNITY COLLEGES SEND GIFTS FROM THE HEART TO BMCC
January 29, 2002
Americans generously opened their hearts and their pocketbooks to the help people affected by the attack on the World Trade Center. Colleges around the country, particularly community colleges, reached out to BMCC with letters of sympathy and support, as well as colorful banners expressing solidarity.
But colleges did more than send good wishes. They donated furniture and money raised in grass roots efforts-gifts from the heart. Community college students organized many of the fundraising appeals and letter projects. “The response from community colleges around the country has been really heartwarming,” said BMCC President Antonio Pérez. “Our community college colleagues have shown us enormous support from the very beginning,” he continued.
Phi Theta Kappa, the national honor society for two-year colleges, held a national fundraiser on different campuses to benefit BMCC. Through car washes and bake sales, Phi Theta Kappa students raised $13,000 for BMCC.
Meanwhile, students at North Carolina community colleges also held bake sales and Halloween carnivals; they sold patriotic pins and collected money in jars to benefit four World Trade Center-related charities, including Borough of Manhattan Community College.
Sharon Wright-Watson, president of the Student Government Association at North Carolina Comprehensive Community Colleges (N4CSGA), and Charlene Wilson, treasurer or N4CSGA, visited Borough of Manhattan Community College in December to present a check for $1,171. The fundraising efforts in North Carolina continue, so “we will be sending you more checks,” Wright-Watson said.
Students, faculty and staff at Thompkins Cortland Community College in Ithaca, New York, sent $1,300. Cabrillo College in California, Oklahoma City Community College, Central Florida Community College, Northern Virginia Community College, Clark College, and the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges all sent gifts to the BMCC Fund, Inc.
Heartland Community College, Luzerne County Community College, Rutgers University, Western Michigan University, and Carnegie Mellon University donated furniture for the temporary classrooms. City College, College of Staten Island, John Jay College, Kingsborough Community College, and Queens College donated equipment and labor and transported the donated furniture from a holding area at Lehman College to BMCC.
The college received large-scale gifts as well. Philip Morris gave BMCC $195,000. The Bank of New York gave the college $50,000. The September 11 Fund gave the college approximately $500,000.
