Adelphi Freshman At Garden City Bird Sanctuary

Another bag of vines on its way out. Adelphi University's Associate Dean of Student Affairs, Della Hudson-Tomlin, lead a group of over forty incoming freshmen students on a three day program of volunteer community service in the communities surrounding the Adelphi campus. The Freshman Community Action Program, FCAP, celebrated its 4th year with an August 26 work day with Rob Alvey at the Garden City Bird Sanctuary. This successful program was designed to help the incoming students form friendships, become familiar with the local area, and instill the value of community service. Several students have continued with the program and are now leaders for the group. The students come from diverse areas as Cuba, Florida, California, and many villages on Long Island.

President Rob Alvey, assisted by additional volunteers Ria Jones, Laura Napoli, and Jimmy Carroll. coordinated the day of weeding, pruning, and debris removal at Garden City's 9 acre community nature preserve. Laura, currently a Director of the Bird Sanctuary, was originally introduced to the site as an Adelphi student, and she has now graduated and starts an Earth Science teaching position at a nearby high school. She has continued to volunteer at the site. The Adelphi students had lunch in the picnic area and were given a guided tour and talk about how this sanctuary came to be. It was a warm, sunny day, and the students made a tremendous impact in freshening up portions of the sanctuary as it plans for autumn activities. Some of the weeds were over 10 feet tall, and vines had literally smothered two trees to death. Some students painted nest boxes and a trellis, others cleared the trail, and others volunteered to help pick the fresh vegetables being grown at the Community Garden for the Interfaith Nutrition Network. By the end of the day, there were over a dozen bundles of pruned branches and limbs by the curb, accompanied by over 80 large garbage bags of weeds, vines, and litter - the incessant debris that flows into the basins from the streets whenever there are heavy rains. The 2009 rains have saved the Bird Sanctuary nearly $3,000 in watering bills, but it was lost when the tractor\mower broke down and needs replacement - at an estimated cost of $3,000. Still, Alvey was cheerful and got many of the students inspired to return to the Bird Sanctuary to help set up for the October 17th Halloween Fest and Haunted Hike. He asked the group to chose two FCAP students as designated Student Directors for the 2009/2010 school year.

Adelphi FCAP volunteers. On August 27 there was a community breakfast at Adelphi for the students, families and guests. A slide show was shown of the activities, including a day at the Holly Patterson Rehabilitation Center, Mommas House, street work for the Village of Hempstead, and the Garden City Bird Sanctuary. Leaders Laura Grodin and Daphney Pierre discussed the impact the FCAP program has had on their lives, while freshman students Julie Bergeron and Stephen Zuccaro talk about their positive experiences, and the bonding that developed among the volunteers. Diana O'Neal, Director of the LI Volunteer Center, gave an encouraging talk about volunteer service, and presented special Presidential pins and certificates to the volunteers on behalf of President Obama.

Rob Alvey shows some of the Adelphi students what to weed.

Down and dirty getting debris removed from the bottom of a basin. More Adelphi volunteers with Dean Hudson and Rob Alvey FCAP volunteers show tools of the trade at the Bird Sanctuary. Picking tomatoes for the Interfaith Nutrition Network. Painting nestboxes built and donated by Robert Di Mino of Garden City. Mayet Mina Aldana and friend wearing a bit of paint after painting the trellis.