On October 7, 2023, Union celebrated its annual John Calvin Toll Day, where hundreds of volunteers worked at different sites on campus and in the surrounding Schenectady community. Volunteers worked at public events and made cards and friendship bracelets to serve the Schenectady community.
John Calvin Toll Day is Union’s largest day of community service and it has taken place every year since 2001. The event is made possible by donations from descendants of Toll. “John Calvin Toll was one of the first people to graduate from Union College in 1799. He was actually the fourth person to graduate in that first ever graduating class, and we celebrate him today,” Ben DeAngelis, the Assistant Director of Community Engagement at the Kenney Community Center, said about the history of the event. “Him and many of his descendants, have been students at the college and then endowed an opportunity for us to host this event every single year.”
Most attendees came as a part of their Greek Organizations, sports teams, or student clubs to provide service to the community.
This year, the event had to be modified at the last minute due to the rain that occurred at the same time. Originally, most attendees were going to clean up various areas in the Schenectady community, but these clean ups were canceled due to the weather. As a result, most attendees made cards and friendship bracelets to be donated to children in hospitals, and staffed indoor public events such as Schenectady ARC’s Electric City Trucks, Taps, Corks and Forks, an event to raise funds to support people with disabilities.
“We want folks to be able to see the community, make connections, and do something where they’re helping out different schools, organizations, nonprofits, and seeing all the wonderful things that are happening in Schenectady,” DeAngelis added.
The event is also a way to encourage attendees to get involved in community service. “Toll Day is kind of a kickoff for a year long series of activities… We know what happens is once folks have served on the big day of service, they’re also more interested in serving throughout the year.”
Union’s Kenney Center hosts events periodically, and students can learn about them by checking UEngage, or contacting the center at [email protected].
