Holiday luncheon raises funds for YWCA

January 2018     No Comments

It was good company, good spirits, and some good food, all for a good cause at the 2017 SUNY Poly Holiday Luncheon.

The luncheon is held at semester’s end each year to bring together various people, departments, and stories during the holiday season as one big institutional family.

Master of Ceremonies and Associate Provost for Academic Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer Michael Manning brought goodwill, laughs, and even song to the afternoon event which benefited the YWCA of the Mohawk Valley Domestic & Sexual Violence Services.

The YWCA of the Mohawk Valley is an organization dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. Founded in 1885 and incorporated in 1904, the agency serves more than 10,000 individuals each year in Herkimer and Oneida counties. The YWCA MV provides such life-changing programs as domestic and sexual violence crisis services, emergency and transitional housing for domestic violence survivors, violence prevention education, and outreach.

A portion of the funds raised by the SUNY Poly 2017 Holiday Luncheon are being used by the YWCA to fund an outing to “Lights on the Lake” (a tour of numerous and intricate holiday lights) in Liverpool for the women and children who are currently housed at the Y’s domestic violence residence.

“The SUNY Poly Holiday Planning Committee has been very busy this season,” said Stacey Genther, SUNY Poly Wellness Coordinator and Chairperson of the Holiday Planning Committee. “Our fundraising efforts have brought in a total of $1,233, a portion of which was obtained from donations we received from gift wrapping holiday purchases for customers at Barnes and Noble.”