BOCES students and staff give to hurricane relief efforts

Goshen — The students and staff in the Orange-Ulster BOCES Career and Technical Education Center jumped into action to give their time, money and hearts to families devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Since September, the students and staff have been collecting items to be transported to Moss Point, Miss. Each academy collected needed items that were related to their program of study. For example, the Appearance Careers Academy collected toiletries, the Business Careers Academy collected school supplies, the Education Careers Academy collected children’s books and toys, and the Construction Careers Academy provided tools. Student leaders from the Future Business Leaders of America and the National Technical Honor Society sorted, tagged and boxed the items for shipment. When all was said and done, 22 large boxes were filled with needed items. James Mezzetti, of Myles Financial Services in Florida, arranged to ship the boxes as part of Florida’s “Adopt Moss Point, Mississippi” initiative. Earlier in the school year, the students and staff also contributed to a national initiative called the Pajama Program, to provide pajamas and books for children in need throughout the year. The program is reaching out to the children who have been displaced because of the hurricanes. Despite the short notice (the donations had to be collected by September 23), the center shipped out approximately 20 boxes - of new pajamas, underwear, clothes, and baby supplies, along with boxes of children’s books - to the distribution location. The Baby Place located in Goshen was instrumental in donating baby clothing and books. The center also participated in Phones4Life, an initiative that programs used cell phones to call 911. These phones are given to elderly victims who do not own cell phones, as a security measure in case of an emergency. These efforts are just a sampling of what Orange-Ulster BOCES Career and Tech Center has done to help people in need.