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Contact: Liz Carroll
Phone: 413/775-1420
E-mail: carroll@gcc.mass.edu

Media contact: Liz Carroll
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413/775-1420 | carroll@gcc.mass.edu

Release date: November 22, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Honor society members reach out to Jamaican hospital

The theme of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year colleges, just happened to be health care when Dr. Sandy Founds came to speak at last year's induction ceremony at Greenfield Community College. Dr. Founds, a nurse-midwife, shared her experiences as a member of a UMass delegation that visits St. Thomas Hospital in southeastern Jamaica every January. By the time she finished, the Phi Theta Kappans had discovered a cause.

"This hospital is in the lowest income parish in Jamaica,” says Emma Founds, president of Alpha Sigma Omicron, GCC's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, and Dr. Founds' daughter. "That part of the island is mostly rural. The main income source is farming and fishing, and many people are unemployed. The hospital does not have enough doctors, nurses or equipment. The head of the hospital has expressed a need for paint because they can't even afford basic supplies for maintenance. Chapter members wanted to do something to help.”

So the GCC chapter of Phi Theta Kappa is raising money for paint and painting supplies that Emma will deliver personally in January to the head of St. Thomas Hospital. "We wouldn't want to send it in the mail because it's not reliable there,” explains Emma. "It could get lost or stolen.”

Additional money raised will go towards the nurses' fund at the hospital. "The nurses there have to do continuing education in order to keep their licenses,” Emma says, "and a lot of nurses there have trouble paying for their required hours.”

The core group of fundraisers also includes Christy Tracy of Northampton; Galina Agapov, Turners Falls; Jessica Cahill, Turners Falls; and Dan Fitzpatrick.

"Phi Theta Kappa provides opportunities for students to gain leadership skills at the same time as they provide a service to the community,” says Bob LaPalme, Admission Counselor and PTK advisor. "When I get inquiries from four-year colleges that want our Phi Theta Kappans to transfer to their colleges and offer scholarship money for that purpose, it's a lot easier for me to recommend a person when I know that person because of their involvement in service activities.”

This will be Emma's second visit to Jamaica. "A long time ago, I guess I was 12 years old, I went down there with my mother and I actually saw it,” recalls Emma. "People live in shacks that don't even have four walls. In order to take a bath or shower, they'll shower in a waterfall. People are just very, very poor, but it's so moving because people are so warm and friendly and loving.”

The Phi Theta Kappans are planning a fundraising activity, and area businesses have cans for donations. They invite your gift of any size. Checks should be payable to PTK/GCC, Jamaica Project, and may be mailed to Bob LaPalme, Greenfield Community College, One College Drive, Greenfield, MA 01301.