Veteran’s Day Parade 2013

Sharla: Parade Marshal and Berkeley Cares Volunteer.
Photo by Sharla Hanley

My name is Sharla Hanley, I am 34 years of age and I am a volunteer for Berkeley Cares. I have been doing volunteer work for a long time and when I decided to start college again, that did not leave me. One of the things I love to do is help others that cannot help themselves.

This past Monday November 11, I volunteered for the Veteran’s Day Parade as a Parade Marshal.  The day started out cold. As I walked down 5th Avenue from Berkeley College, I saw the NYPD putting up the barricades so all traffic can be stopped. 

Our job was to keep the marchers in line until it was their time to go on the route. The parade marshal has a very important job, because without them, the parade would not go on.  It was cold that day as it is every year, but we know that we came to do a job, and that is exactly what I did. 

I love to be a parade marshal and this was my second time being a part of that spectacular parade to support vets all around the country. The Veterans Day parade brings many people together, not just New Yorkers.  I met people from as far away as California and the high school bands all the way from Illinois. As they marched up from 23^rd street to 52nd street, many people gathered on the streets of New York to watch them pass by and say thanks for serving our country well.

I will continue to be a volunteer even after I leave Berkeley College, and I would love to leave a legacy behind. Anybody can help, and lend a helping hand, and if you love what you do then you would not think about getting paid for doing it. My resume is filling up with all kinds of volunteer work that I have been involved with through Berkeley cares. 

Find something to do. As President John F. Kennedy said “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” It will be worth it. 

Veterans Uniform Display
Photo by Sharla Hanley

Blood Drives at Woodland Park and Paramus

Help Save a Life! 

Donate Blood 

FREE Cholesterol Screening for all Blood Donors

All donors must present signed or picture I.D. 

Paramus - Monday, November 25 - 10:30 AM - 2:30 PM

Woodland Park - Tuesday, November 26 - 11:30 AM - 3:00 PM

BLOOD DRIVE
SIGN UP PROCEDURE

Thank you for your participation in the upcoming blood drive. Once you click on the link below you will be taken to the ‘Blood Center of New Jersey’s Members For Life’ page. You will need to enter your email address as well as your full date of birth using the drop down arrow buttons located to the right of “Month”, “Day” and “Year”

To sign up:
1. Select the link from below – Hold ‘Ctrl key and click’ to activate link.
2. Once on the “Members for Life” page enter your email address.
3. Enter your date of birth.
4. Enter sponsor code (below) Click the “Login” button. (If this is not your first time signing up go to step 8)
5. On the “Schedule a Donation” page, enter your Name, Blood Type (if you don’t know then select “Don’t know” from the drop down menu. Enter your phone number.
6. At the bottom of the page, click the “Save Profile” link. You should get a “Your account has been created successfully” message near the top of the screen.
7. Click on the “Continue to Blood Drive” link at the bottom of the page.
8. Click on the underlined link of the blood drive.
9. Click on any of the available time slots to schedule your appointment for that time.


To make your Whole Blood appointment click the link below.

Berkeley College - Woodland Park - Sponsor Code 33209
https://www.membersforlife.org/bcnj/mobilesch/login.php?cid-Berkeley%20College%20WP%2033209

Berkeley College - Paramus - Sponsor Code 33477
https://www.membersforlife.org/bcnj/mobilesch/login.php?cid=33477 

Message from the President: Berkeley Cares About the Philippines



Typhoon victims in Tacloban city.
Photo: REUTERS/Erik De Castro

 

Dear Members of the College Community,

 
Our hearts go out to the people of the Philippines whose lives have been devastated by Typhoon Haiyan. Our thoughts, prayers and sympathies are with our Filipino colleagues and our students who have been impacted by this disaster.

The losses may be incomprehensible, but the resilience of the Filipino people, along with the help of the United States, friends and allies from around the world, will light the path to recovery.

At Berkeley College, we will be offering our support to the Philippines through Berkeley Cares. In the coming weeks, Berkeley Cares will be conducting a fundraising drive at all campus locations for the American Red Cross Typhoon Haiyan relief effort. These funds will be used to distribute food, clothing and other necessary supplies, repair and rebuild shelters, provide healthcare and ensure access to clean water and sanitation systems.

There are many ways we can contribute to relief efforts in the Philippines, locally and globally. Together, we can make a difference.

Below are links to various websites providing information on Typhoon Haiyan.

• World News: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/13/21386694-how-to-help-organizations-offering-relief-to-typhoon-haiyan-survivors 
• American Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org 
• The Economist: http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21589883-responding-disaster-essential-so-preparing-next-stress-test
• USA Today: http://www.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2013/11/13/obama-philippines-typhoon-haiyan-wesbsite/3519785
• CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/14/world/asia/typhoon-haiyan/index.html

For more information on how you can be a part of the Berkeley Cares effort or if you are interested in making a donation, contact Heather Eaton Dwyer, Assistant Dean, System Events and Student Judiciaries, Student Development and Campus Life at hed@BerkeleyCollege.edu or by calling 201-967-9667, ext. 1309.

Cordially,
 
Dario A. Cortes, PhD
President
Berkeley College

Super Community Blood Drive

SEVERE EMERGENCY BLOOD SHORTAGE PLEASE DONATE

JOIN THE WORLD'S BIGGEST HUDDLE! SUPER COMMUNITY BLOOD DRIVE Donate Blood between now and January 17, 2014 Be entered into Sweepstakes to win TWO TICKETS to the SUPER BOWL at MET LIFE STADIUM in February, 2014 Sunday, September 22nd, 2013 9 AM - 2 PM Congregation Oheb Shalom (Merinick Hall) 170 Scotland Road South Orange, NJ 07079 Come in to donate and receive a Super Community Blood Drive Wrist Band The Super Bowl Host Committee kicks off the Super Community Blood Drive to raise awareness about the critical need for blood donations. The Blood Center of New Jersey is part of this Super Community Blood Drive kick off. All donors who donate at our Blood Drives and at our West Orange and Parsippany locations from now until January 17, 2014 will be entered into the Sweepstakes to win two tickets to the Super Bowl at Met Life Stadium in February, 2014. For Complete Details and sweepstakes rules visit: http://www.bloodnj.org

Help a Berkeley Student help Children!

Hello, my name is Jeffry Rodriguez. On November 23 all throughout the United States St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is going to be sponsoring walks to raise awareness and raise money for cancer treatment and research. I am asking for donations,anything that you can be donate will be appreciated it and it will go into a life changing cause. If you would like to help by donating you can access my personal walk page at the link below. I would like to say Thank You for your time and patience with me. I hope that you will help the kids out, I am not doing this for me but for them. If you do decide to donate it will help change the life of a kid at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. I have till November 22nd to raise as much as possible.

Anyone who cares, anyone who shows compassion, anyone that is willing to help someone else will always be seen as a hero, as a guardian angel. We all can be these kids guardian angels just by showing that we care.

Thank you again.

For more information about the hospital you can check their page out:
StJude.org

If you would like to donate you can at: 

www.Walk.StJude.org/PuraVida 

Operation Shoebox Packing Event - Berkeley College and VFW Community Event - Saturday 10/19 11-1

You, your friends, and family are all invited to participate in the first Berkeley College Operation Shoebox Packing Event! This event will take place at the VFW Post 809 in Little Ferry, NJ on Saturday, October 19 from 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM. Please RSVP to Nicole Turnbull at NLL@berkeleycollege.edu to register. If you are interested in helping to plan this event, please contact Nicole Turnbull. Help is needed to recruit volunteers, fundraise for Operation Shoebox, coordinate raffle prizes, and maximize community outreach the day of the event. All participants will receive a free Berkeley Cares t-shirt and a certificate of participation from SDCL on behalf of Berkeley Cares as well as our eternal gratitude for saluting our nation's heroes!

Living the Dream: 50th Anniversary March on Washington

          Living the Dream: for 24 hours on August 24, 2013, students and staff from Berkeley College will journey to Washington, DC, joining thousands who will again March on Washington to commemorate and honor a moment and movement that inspired hearts and changed history.  Learn more about the 50th anniversary celebration and the Berkeley College #mkldream50 trip here or visit http://storify.com/dociacino/berkeley-college-mlkdream50.

         Please read this special guest blog post, which comes to us from Berkeley College student, Kyeisha Harrison. 

Source: Kyeisha Harrison

          Two years ago, the thought of taking away my precious weekend to attend a rally for anything was not even an option. My time is valuable, and after putting in a 50 hour work week, I preferred to spend my leisure time on my couch.  A lot has changed since then, and today I am elated at the thought of being able to gain a practical learning experience from attending the 50^th Anniversary of the March on Washington.  I am going to be a part of history that my children will one day read about in books.  I have just recently become interested in civil rights and I believe that this experience will not only deepen my knowledge, but my also drive my passion.  

Source: www.npr.org

There are so many benefits that I, as an African-American woman, have received from Dr. King’s March on Washington that I often forget , and shamefully, some things for which he fought and stood for of which I’m even unaware. I love that I have the opportunity to educate myself further on injustices and civil rights laws.  I feel empowered in knowing that I will be utilizing my rights and privileges to be a part of the movement to make a change. 

Source: www.bet.com

         

I no longer want to just live and reap the benefits of others’ hard work, sweat, blood, and tears.  I have a new passion to be a part of a changing Nation. I want to channel my energy into something other than Twitter or Facebook.  I want to make a difference for not only myself, but for generations to come.  I want to march, and listen and be vocal for the needs of so many.

Source: www.archives.gov

      

This August, I will be marching for change and equality.  I will be speaking for those who have not yet found their voices, and listening to those of wisdom and knowledge who can impart a lively dream in my life.  I am not sure if Dr. King’s dream will ever completely come true, but I do know that it has come close to life, and we will never move further if we do not take one step at a time.  This will be the first march that I have ever attended and the first of many steps that I will take. I am attending  the 50^th  Anniversary of the March on Washington to not only commemorate the greatness of what Dr. King did and said 50 years ago, but to also begin my march, walking step by step in making a difference.