The organization that provides emergency response services in Lewis County is getting some assistance from BOCES students in its fundraising efforts.
The Transitions class at the Howard G. Sackett Technical Center in Glenfield has been helping Lewis County Search & Rescue prepare mailings that will be delivered to all Lewis County property owners. This is the third year students in the class have assisted in the fundraiser. Last year’s fundraising campaign netted $28,000 in donations, which helped Search and Rescue complete much-needed building renovations.
“This really is a great project for the class,” says Carolyn Widrick, Transitions Instructor. “It teaches the students responsibility and allows them to acquire the transferable employability skills that they need in life.”
The fundraising mailings contain a trifold and other information on Lewis County Search and Rescue. It also contains a return envelope for recipients to send a donation. The Transitions students work in tandem on the project. Tasks include folding letters, folding the trifolds, stamping the return envelopes, stuffing them, sealing them and stamping on the destination and return addresses. Widrick says the students take turns with each task and are assisted as needed.
“All the students do a good job and the work is really appreciated by the organization,” she says. “It also allows us to teach the students to take pride in their work and the importance of community service.”
In all, about seven thousand envelopes are prepared for mailing by the students. Lewis County Search and Rescue also shows their appreciation to the students by offering them a pizza and wing party once the project is complete.
“Their hard work cuts down on our costs,” says Justin Astafan, Chief of Operations, Lewis County Search and Rescue. “Without their help, our fundraising would have an additional administrative cost tacked on to it.”
Astafan says Lewis County Search and Rescue plans to use this year’s fundraising to purchase “vending machine” like devises for medical supplies that will allow the organization to keep a more accurate inventory of its supplies and help bring down costs.
“We really appreciate what the BOCES Transitions students do for us. We hope they will continue to help out in the future.”
If you are in a municipality served by Lewis County Search and Rescue, look for the fundraising mailer in your postal box this spring.
