Gary W. Ennis, an Electrical Engineering Technology major from
Carthage and an Alpha Theta Gamma fraternity brother, prepares soup at the Grace Episcopal Church¹s Friday Soup Kitchen. The students do all of the cooking for the meal with supervision from a chef.

Sorority and fraternity members help prepare and serve the food, and according to the Rev. Evette E. Austin, Grace Episcopal’s priest, their contributions extend beyond the kitchen.

“The students are very helpful and kind to everyone,” Austin said. “They take the time to assist the elderly and make them feel comfortable here.

Austin, who is also a SUNY Canton campus minister, said another part of the students’ responsibilities is to prepare take-home meals for the guests.

Martyna M. Crisafulli, a Law Enforcement Leadership major from Albany and member of Kappa Xi Omega sorority, said that she enjoys volunteering at the church.

“The best part about working here is being able to interact with the community members,” she said.

In addition to student volunteers, SUNY Canton’s Greek Council donates funding to purchase ingredients for the meals. The council raised approximately $700 for the Soup Kitchen and the Church and Community Program Food Pantry in Canton.

Samantha A. Colarelli, a Criminal Investigation major from Baluvelt, and Martyna M. Crisafulli, a Law Enforcement Leadership student from Albany, make deserts for guests at the weekly meal. Both students are sisters of the Kappa Xi Omega sorority.

The Soup Kitchen is open from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on the first, second and fourth Fridays of the month. For more information, call 386-3714.

Several students are offering free tax preparation assistance as part of their Accounting coursework on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. until April 4 in Cook Hall Room 116. Appointments are strongly encouraged.

Students from the College work with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program to increase their own tax preparation skills and to teach community members how to correctly file their own personal taxes in the future. The Internal Revenue Service sponsors the VITA program. Although this service is free and open to the public, the qualifying income bracket for participants is a gross income below $49,000, according to the IRS.

For more information, contact Accounting Instructor Bei Huang at huangb@canton.edu.To schedule an appointment, call (315) 386-7979.

Since 1976, the College has given this prestigious award in recognition of exceptional, unusual, and distinguished service to SUNY Canton, to the community, to the state, or to the nation.

Members of the community are invited to submit nominations for the award. Nominations, which must be submitted in writing, should include the name; position/title; a description; and a brief biography of the nominee. At least three letters of support from non-family members should accompany the nomination. Nominations, which are due Feb. 1, 2013, should be submitted to Mr. Ronald O’Neill, College Council Chairman, SUNY Canton, 34 Cornell Drive – FOB 616, Canton, NY 13617.

The SUNY Canton College Council will select the recipient at its March 2013 meeting. The award will be announced at the President’s Gala reception, just before Commencement 2013, and the recipient’s name will be prominently displayed on a plaque in the Richard W. Miller Campus Center.

Last year’s recipient of the prestigious award was Town Supervisor David T. Button.

For more information, contact Michaela Young, secretary to the president, at (315) 386-7204 or by email at youngm@canton.edu.

SUNY Canton visiting author Adam Levin will be the final speaker in this semester’s Living Writers Series (photo courtesy of Renee Feldman). Levin will be reading from his most recent collection of short stories, “Hot Pink.”

Levin will be reading from his latest work “Hot Pink,” which is a collection of short stories that was published earlier this year. He will also answer questions and be available for book signings.

“SUNY Canton students have been fortunate to be able to meet and learn from some of the most talented writers today—like Adam Levin—thanks to the Living Writers Course that was created by Assistant Professor Phil LaMarche,” said School of Business and Liberal Arts Interim Dean Maureen P. Maiocco.

Levin is most noted for his dark and witty short work. Some reviewers have compared his writing to that of late literary great David Foster Wallace.

“Levin’s stories feel like crazed impersonations of bullies, sadists, and Chicagoland tough guys,” LaMarche said. “His prose rings true to their voices, gallivanting across the page with genius, bravery, and utter hilarity.”

Levin resides in Chicago, where he teaches writing at Columbia College and The School of the Art Institute.

Fall 2012 is the first semester that the Living Writers Course has been offered. Students enrolled in the class read the books by authors scheduled to visit the College. Authors Mary Karr and Daniel Torday were previous guest speakers.

Since 1976, the College has given this prestigious award in recognition of exceptional, unusual, and distinguished service to SUNY Canton, to the community, to the state, or to the nation.

Members of the community are invited to submit nominations for the award. Nominations, which must be submitted in writing, should include the name; position/title; a description; and a brief biography of the nominee. At least three letters of support from non-family members should accompany the nomination. Nominations, which are due Feb. 1, 2013, should be submitted to Mr. Ronald O’Neill, College Council Chairman, SUNY Canton, 34 Cornell Drive – FOB 616, Canton, NY 13617.

The SUNY Canton College Council will select the recipient at its March 2013 meeting. The recipient’s name will be prominently displayed on a plaque in the Richard W. Miller Campus Center.

Last year’s recipient of the prestigious award was Town Supervisor David T. Button.

For more information, contact Stacey Basford, executive assistant to the president, at (315) 386-7204 or by email at basfords@canton.edu.

The workshop will be held from 7 to 9 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 8, in SUNY Canton’s Newell Veterinary Technology Center, Room 109. Registration will begin at 6 p.m.

SUNY Canton is one of only 20 colleges in the nation to offer a Bachelor's in Veterinary Technology.

Kathleen Makolinski from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) will talk about animal identification methods, feral cat research, client education, and shelter and veterinarian-related issues.

“This important event is aimed at improving the health and welfare of animals in the North Country,” said Sophia Theodore, an Associate Professor in the veterinary science technology program. “Our students and area professionals can learn side-by-side about the latest research in the veterinary field.”

Registration for the event is free and attendees are encouraged to preregister before Oct. 31 by contacting Kevin Mace at Spay/Neuter/Now at (315) 486-0094. Completion of this workshop will allow attendees to earn New York State continuing education credits.

“There is a great need for public education to dispel the myths concerning spaying and neutering,” said Kevin Mace, general manager for Spay/Neuter/Now.  “We hope that this workshop will spread awareness of our area’s current situation and inform veterinary professionals, shelter and animal welfare workers on ways to cooperate to prevent pet overpopulation and educate the public on animal-related issues.”

Frederick Rycroft, author of the new book “Young World,” will be returning to campus from noon until 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17, for a book signing at Richard W. Miller Campus Center’s Store. Copies of his book are also available at the Campus Center Store.

“Some of the characters are based loosely on people from the community of Canton,” Rycroft said. “Even though it is a work of fiction, all of the history is well researched and includes the local color of the late ’50s in our community.”

Rycroft’s book tells the tale of the adventures, and misadventures, of teenagers who became friends in 1957 in a small Northern New York town. It includes narrative descriptions of how the Village of Canton looked and felt. Former popular venues including Billy’s Restaurant, the Hotel Harrington and the Miss Canton Diner, are all described or alluded to in his work.

“There are a lot of things about both of Canton’s Colleges in the book,” Rycroft said. “Specifically, I remember when the Canton Hockey Team had an unprecedented 42-game winning streak.”

Rycroft retired from SUNY Canton after working for the College for 35 years. He also was an assistant football coach for the College beginning in 1995. This is his first work of fiction and the first in a trilogy all bearing the same title. The second part of “Young World” is near completion.

SUNY Canton offers a variety of career-driven bachelor’s degrees in addition to its associate and certificate programs. In the past year, the College added two new bachelor’s degrees and expanded its facilities with a new athletic center, nicknamed Roos House, and the Grasse River Suites Residence Hall. The College’s faculty members are noted for their professional real-world experience in addition to their academic credentials. SUNY Canton OnLine offers flexible and convenient online courses and programs. The College’s 14 athletic teams compete as provisional members of the NCAA Division III as well as the USCAA.

Media inquiries should be directed to Gregory Kie, Media Relations Manager, or call 315/386-7527.

The joint event is sponsored by two initiatives with the same goals on both campuses: SUNY Canton’s CARES Committee, and the BEAR @ Potsdam Project.

The SUNY Potsdam and SUNY Canton college mascots, Max C. Bear and Roody Roo, show that they won’t stand for incivility, either.

CARES stands for Character, Acts of Kindness, Respect, Environment and Spirituality. BEAR @ Potsdam is short for Be Ethical And Responsible at SUNY Potsdam. Both organizations support efforts to create campus environments rich in courtesy and respect for others.

The simultaneous Civility Sit-Ins are scheduled for noon on Thursday, Oct. 18, on both campuses. At SUNY Canton, the event will be held at the Roselle Academic Plaza. At SUNY Potsdam, the event will be held at Minerva Plaza.

There will be campus speakers at both events, and students will decorate T-shirts proclaiming what they “won’t stand for” at their college.

“SUNY Potsdam is one community, bound together by respect and integrity. We are dedicated to upholding the values in our Potsdam Pledge, and encouraging our students to help lead the way for all concerning civility. This unique event will offer an opportunity for the SUNY Potsdam and SUNY Canton communities to show our neighbors in the North Country what we stand for,” said Dean of Students Chip Morris.

SUNY Canton’s Dean of Students, Courtney B. Bish said, “The Civility Sit-In will

showcase theimportance of respect and tolerance within our campus community and will be the first of many events sponsored through our CARES Project. We are proud to co-host this event with SUNY Potsdam through their BEAR @ Potsdam initiative, and are looking forward to the student support at the event and future collaborations with the other area colleges.”

To end the sit-ins, the colleges’ two mascots—Max C. Bear and Roody Roo—will encourage everyone to rise at once, to show that they stand for civility.

“It is so exciting to be promoting the concept of civility with SUNY Canton. This Sit-In shows the North Country community that we are institutions dedicated to making the communities both on- and off-campus the best they can be,” said Annette Robbins, director of student conduct and community standards at SUNY Potsdam.

From left, Roody Roo, Molly A. Mott, Chip Morris, Lashawanda Ingram, Annette Robbins, Gena Nelson, Courtney B. Bish and Max C. Bear. For the full caption with titles, see the attached release.

To mark their commitment to the project, faculty and staff from SUNY Potsdam and SUNY Canton gathered recently along with the college mascots. As seen in the accompanying photo, the officials included: (from left) SUNY Canton Vice President for Student Affairs Molly A. Mott, SUNY Potsdam Dean of Students Chip Morris, SUNY Canton Director of Diversity Lashawanda Ingram, SUNY Potsdam Director of Student Conduct and Community Standards Annette Robbins, SUNY Potsdam Counseling Center Director Gena Nelson and SUNY Canton Dean of Students Courtney B. Bish.

Media inquiries should be directed to Gregory Kie, Media Relations Manager, or call 315/386-7527.

Amp Entertainment and the SUNY Canton Student Activities Office are presenting the fall concert.

“This concert is the latest in a string of well-known acts that Amp Entertainment has helped bring to the College,” said Michael J. Perry, SUNY Canton College Association executive director, who oversees the Student Activities Office. “During the past year, they have secured national recording artists Gym Class Heroes and Red Jumpsuit Apparatus to perform live for our students.”

Formed in 1995, Buckcherry, who are known for hits like “Lit Up” and “Check Your Head,” have had mass appeal. Their 2006 album “15” went platinum and contained their first Billboard Hot 100 top-ten hit, “Sorry.” During their career, they have opened for artists like AC/DC and KISS. They are currently on tour in preparation for a release of their sixth album later this year.

The band will be performing following Lit, Charm City Devils and local favorite Tyrade.

Lit is best known for their 1999 No. 1 hit “My Own Worst Enemy.” The California-based group has had other hits such as “Miserable,” “Zip-Lock,” “Over My Head,” “Lipstick and Bruises” and “Addicted.” They recently released their fifth album, “The View from the Bottom,” on June 19, 2012.

Charm City Devils were formed in Baltimore, Md., in 2007. They were named Best New Rock Band by iTunes for 2009, and their sophomore album, “Sins,” was released April 10, 2012. The single “Man of Constant Sorrow” from that album reached No. 20 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

Tyrade is one of the most popular bands in Northern New York. It consists of Matt Farrell of Saranac Lake, Tim Anson of Canton, Thomas Arquitt of Saranac Lake, and Ronn Simser of Renesselaer Falls. Their style ranges from melodic ballads to metal anthems. Their top hits include “Outburst II” and “Scud Missile,” according to the band’s MySpace page.

Tickets are on sale through the Student Activities Office in the Richard W. Miller Campus Center. The show costs $15 for SUNY Canton students, and $25 for the public. For more information, contact the Student Activities Office at 315-386-7315.

Media inquiries should be directed to Gregory Kie, Media Relations Manager, or call 315/386-7527.

Torday will be reading from his latest novella, “The Sensualist,” which was published this spring. He will also answer questions about his writing and be available for book signings.

“We are thrilled to welcome Daniel Torday to SUNY Canton as part of our ongoing Living Writers Course created by Assistant Professor Phil LaMarche,” said School of Business and Liberal Arts Interim Dean Maureen P. Maiocco. “These events allow our students to meet and hear from some of the most talented writers today.”

Torday’s fiction and nonfiction works have appeared in Esquire Magazine, Glimmer Train, Harper Perennial’s Fifty-Two Stories, the Harvard Review and the Kenyon Review.

LaMarche described Torday’s writing as “A window into the world of his characters, but also a mirror, reflecting our own lives and the culture we inhabit.”

“The Sensualist” tells the tale of 17-year-old Samuel Gerson, who is ready to rid himself of the tight-knit Jewish community in which he’s spent his whole life. But when he befriends enigmatic Dmitri Zilber, a recent Russian Jewish immigrant who is obsessed with the works of Dostoevsky, Samuel’s world begins to shift. As his life increasingly entangles with that of Dmitri and his beautiful sister Yelizaveta, it sets in motion a series of events that culminates in a disturbing act of violence.

Fall 2012 is the first semester that the Living Writers Course has been offered. Students enrolled in the class read the books by authors scheduled to visit the College. Best-selling author Mary Karr visited the College in September, and the next presenter will be Adam Levin, author of “The Instructions,” on Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m.

Media inquiries should be directed to Gregory Kie, Media Relations Manager, or call 315/386-7527.