2006-10-07
Manhattanville Baseball Team Swings Hammers at Habitat for Humanity Construction Site
Team assists with rebuilding home destroyed by fire
October 7, 2006....Mr. Pond and his home on 146 Mountain Avenue in New Rochelle have represented true community spirit for over half a century. He delights the neighborhood by creating interactive displays on his lawn for holidays, and donning a Santa costume while neighbors carol each Christmas Eve. A retired Physical Ed teacher, he supplies the neighborhood children with sports equipment and teaches them game rules and sportsmanship.
It was this deep sense of community that has rallied volunteers working with Habitat for Humanity
to rebuild his home that was recently devastated by fire.
When the baseball team heard about what had happened to 86-year-old Mr. Pond they volunteered to work on the home. Manhattanville whose mission is “to educate ethically and socially aware leaders” encourages its students to perform community service which will help them succeed in sports, as well as other areas of life, such as the classroom, the community and the workplace.
While thanking the baseball team for coming out on a chilly, gray Saturday morning, Jim Killoran, Director of Habitat for Humanity of Westchester County, said that he believes “the strength of a great college education is measured by involvement with service.”
He also explained that Habitat was there to not only rebuild the home, but also to raise awareness about the serious housing issues that we face as a nation. “There is a huge need in this country, for affordable housing,” said Killoran and “Habitat for Humanity is working toward reducing that need.”
Senior Jeff Dunn agreed, “When you’re living in a warm, dorm room it is easy to forget about other people who are not as fortunate to have a roof over their heads.”
The 32 players took on a variety of jobs from scraping and painting, to installing siding and shingling the roof. At the end of the workday, Mike Seminara, assistant coach of the baseball team, said “I think the team gained a sense of accomplishment, some of the guys learned new skills and they all took pride in contributing to rebuild Mr. Pond’s house.”