5th Annual Rock the Community: A Day of Service in Honor of Emily Fisher
On Friday, September 30, 2016, Bard College at Simon’s Rock held its fifth annual
Rock the Community: A Day of Service in Honor of Emily Fisher. The event was established to celebrate the leadership of Emily Fisher, former chair
of the Board of Overseers, for her commitment to both the College and the greater
community.
Over 150 students, faculty, and staff volunteered approximately 400 hours of service to community projects. Volunteers traveled to sites in South County to perform a variety activities, from clearing trails to basic maintenance on buildings. “Rock the Community is a way to take what we learn in the classroom out to the community,” explains Director of Activities Valerie Fanarjian. “Whether we’re helping control invasive species at Lake Mansfield or writing to the men and women who serve our country, these activities influence how we navigate our everyday lives.”
Simon’s Rock students have a long history of volunteering at a variety of sites in the Berkshires. Organizing all of the programs under a single umbrella reinforces the importance of community service. Rock the Community also helps introduce new students to the area they will be calling home for the next few years, create closer ties between the community and the College, and generate greater awareness of the service initiatives the College supports.
Rock the Community serves sites including:
- 9:30–11:00 a.m. Riverwalk with Greenagers
- 10:00–12:00 p.m. Multicultural Bridge
- 10:30–12:30 p.m. Lake Mansfield Alliance
- 11:00–1:00 p.m. Adopt-A-Highway
- 12:30–2:30 p.m. Berkshire South Regional Community Center
- 12:00–2:00 p.m. Rudolph Steiner School
- 1:30–3:30 p.m. Community Access to the Arts (CATA)
- 1:00–3:00 p.m. Letter-writing to Service Men and Women – On campus