News
Team Assists with Rebuilding Home
Baseball team works to rebuild home destroyed by fire
October 7, 2006
Mr. Pond and his home on 146 Mountain Avenue in New
Rochelle have represented true community spirit for over half a
century. He delights the neighborhood by creating interactive
displays on his lawn for holidays, and donning a Santa costume while
neighbors carol each Christmas Eve. A retired Physical Ed teacher, he
supplies the neighborhood children with sports equipment and
teaches them game rules and sportsmanship.
It was this deep sense of community that has rallied volunteers
working with Habitat for Humanity to rebuild his home that was
recently devastated by fire.
When the baseball team heard about what had happened to 86-year-old Mr.
Pond they volunteered to work on the home. Manhattanville whose
mission is "to educate ethically and socially aware leaders" encourages its
students to perform community service which will help them succeed in
sports, as well as other areas of life, such as the classroom, the community
and the workplace.
While thanking the baseball team for coming out on a chilly, gray
Saturday morning, Jim Killoran, Director of Habitat for Humanity of
Westchester County, said that he believes "the strength of a great
college education is measured by involvement with service."
He also explained that Habitat was there to not only rebuild the home, but
also to raise awareness about the serious housing issues that we face as a
nation. "There is a huge need in this country, for affordable housing," said
Killoran and "Habitat for Humanity is working toward reducing that need."
Senior Jeff Dunn agreed, "When you're living in a warm, dorm room it is
easy to forget about other people who are not as fortunate to have a roof
over their heads."
The 32 players took on a variety of jobs from scraping and painting, to
installing siding and shingling the roof. At the end of the workday, Mike
Seminara, assistant coach of the baseball team, said "I think the team
gained a sense of accomplishment, some of the guys learned new skills and
they all took pride in contributing to rebuild Mr. Pond's house."