Photo by Lo Sniderman ‘19
On Sunday, Oct. 19, the Hamilton Association for Volunteering, Outreach, and Charity (HAVOC) hosted its sixteenth college wide dodgeball tournament. 52 students wore their game faces and Halloween attire to the Field House, battling balls to raise money for James Madison High School (JMHS) in Houston, Texas.
The winning team of the dodgeball friendly was “Delta Tango and the Choir Boys,” comprised of six members of the Hamilton men’s hockey team. Prizes in the form of Chipotle were also recognized for individuals sporting the best Halloween costumes. Among the winners was Jada Langston, who sported a cow suit.
JMHS is one of many institutions in Houston, Texas that continues to suffer the destructive consequences of Harvey, the Category four hurricane that left a third of the city underwater.
In a statement made for ABC Action News, English teacher Heather Campbell reported that many of the school’s students will “be in shelters for a long time because a lot of their homes were destroyed with the flooding.”
Ultimately, the dodgeball friendly raised over $300 in funds that should go a long way to help the public school. As the largest student organization on campus, HAVOC issues a variety services, trips, and initiatives that go beyond fundraising. I interviewed Lo Sniderman ’19, HAVOC director, to find out more.
“HAVOC’s overarching goal is always to bring Hamilton students off the Hill, to enrich the College’s surrounding communities. This semester, our G-Board is working to foster a specifically strong relationship with the Thea Bowman House. The Thea Bowman House provides an after-school program for Utica’s low-income, at-risk children and families,” Sniderman said.
“Some of HAVOC’s upcoming events include weekly Thursday trips to the Thea Bowman House, and our annual Paws to Relax event that will take place during the weekend before finals in the Annex. Paws to Relax is a chance for students to take a break from studying, to de-stress, and to come play with some adorable dogs and puppies.”
When asked what else she would like Hamilton members to know about HAVOC, Sniderman explain that “HAVOC is the largest student-run volunteer organization at Hamilton and works to engage Hamilton’s student body, including Greek life, sports teams, and other student organizations in community service.
We believe that service is a vital part of students’ college career, and in order to satisfy a wide range of volunteer interests, we habitually run trips to sixteen sites in the Clinton/Utica/ New Hartford area.
There are several ways to get involved with HAVOC, including taking on a low-commitment position with the HAVOC General Board, or becoming one of the influential Executive Board members that works to make HAVOC’s gears turn smoothly.”
If you are interested in getting more involved with HAVOC, feel free to reach out to Lo Sniderman or Rebecca Werrell ’18.
