February Impact

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February 2011 Vol. 5, No. 6

IMPACT Inspiring Students to Pursue Lives of Purpose

Students inspired by Roberto Clemente’s servant heart A recent service mission trip to Roberto Clemente’s hometown in Puerto Rico afforded 17 Waynesburg University students the opportunity to form meaningful relationships with Clemente’s widow and three children.

While Roberto Clemente never saw Sports City come to life, it has become a part of his legacy. His wife and children, and now service mission teams like Waynesburg’s – the facility’s first volunteer group – continue to fulfill Clemente’s desire to serve others. Each day, the service mission team worked from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., before taking a lunch break that included stories from Luis Clemente. In a thank you note from Sports City,

D

Luis Clemente left the mission service

uring his 18-year major league

team with these words: “In four days it

baseball career, Roberto

has been absolutely incredible what the

Clemente established a legacy

whole crew was able to accomplish for

as one of the greatest outfielders of all

us. I commend you for that. Waynesburg

times. A Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder,

University, we will forever be thankful for

Clemente earned many remarkable honors

all that this means and represents for us.”

including the 1966 National League’s

More than the hours spent raking and

Most Valuable Player Award, 12 Golden

mowing, Kabay said the Clemente family

Glove awards and four National League

was encouraged and uplifted during the

batting crowns.

group’s visit to the their home.

Primarily known for his excellence

“One thing that was unique to this trip

on the field, “The Great One” offered

was the recognition that even people who

just as much, if not more, off the field.

serve need people to serve them,” Kabay

Clemente’s off seasons were spent serving

said.

those less fortunate. His mission to end

For Jenna Stolzfus and Casey Patterson,

poverty and suffering ultimately led to Clemente’s untimely death. In 1972, Clemente boarded a plane to deliver

hometown of Carolina, Puerto Rico. A life-long dream of Clemente’s, the

What are we doing for the people around us?’”

food, clothing and medical supplies to

Center was established two years after his

Kabay said Krause’s question set the

Nicaragua’s earthquake victims. Shortly

death to provide athletic opportunities

tone for the entire trip and allowed

after takeoff, his plane crashed along the

and life lessons for Puerto Rico’s youth.

students to recognize the true meaning of

Prior to the trip, Kabay and Bush

Waynesburg University’s mission of faith,

old. He left behind his wife, Vera, and

required students to perform research

learning and service to others — a mission

three sons, Roberto Jr., Luis Roberto and

related to the facility and the life of

that was certainly put into action during

Enrique Roberto.

Roberto Clemente. Richard Krause, chair

the nine-day trip.

coast of San Juan. Clemente was 38 years

This one act of selflessness defined the

of the Department of Communication

Financed by the government of Puerto

spirit of giving embodied by Clemente. As

and life-long Pirates fan, and Julio

Rico, Sports City was between funding

a result, Clemente was, and still is, a light

Quintero, assistant professor of Spanish

and had been closed and without water or

in the lives of countless individuals. That

at Waynesburg University, were also

electricity three weeks prior to the group’s

light was recently felt by a service mission

instrumental in the trip preparation.

arrival. As a result, the team worked with

team of 17 Waynesburg University

“One of the things Professor Krause told

Clemente’s middle son, Luis, to perform

students led by Michele Kabay, director

the group is something that I will carry

much-needed physical labor at the facility.

and assistant professor of athletic training,

with me forever,” Kabay said. “He said,

Through mowing, painting, weed-

and James Bush, professor of mathematics.

‘This man left a legacy not just on the

whacking and other maintenance tasks,

In December, the team had the privilege

baseball field, but to his community and

the group was able to leave its mark on

of serving at Clemente’s Sports City in his

the entire country. What have we done?

the 304-acre, non-profit recreation facility.

junior athletic training majors, the newfound relationships ignited growth in their faith and their passion for service. “The most significant result of this trip is not tangible,” Stolzfus said. “The relationships that we built with the Clemente family and the encouragement that we gave them through service planted seeds in all of our hearts and presented many blessings.” Patterson recognized the same. “The trip became a faith-driven, wonderfully loving experience that strengthened each individual’s faith in different ways and on different levels,” he said. “For me, service is such a critical aspect of personal faith, and it is such a refreshing reality that my university believes the same.”

Students offer gift of tax preparation services to community

T

ax time is a stressful time for

program saves eligible individuals and

benefits of the VITA program,” said Bryan

addition, students also helped qualifying,

many individuals across the

families between $300 and $600 in filing

Phillips, a senior accounting major from

low-income wage earners receive $37,198

country. For the fifth consecutive

fees. Certified by the IRS, Waynesburg

Winona, Ohio. “It’s also giving us life

in Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

year, a group of Waynesburg University

students are required to receive two

experience in our field.”

students are allowing many local families

eight-hour days of training with an IRS

the opportunity to breathe easy.

Last year, Waynesburg students clocked

agent. Following the training, students

nearly 1,100 training and tax preparation

Twenty-four students, led by Melissa

must pass a computerized exam given

hours among 164 refunds. Students saved

Heider, assistant professor of accounting

by the IRS before they are permitted to

those involved with the program more

at Waynesburg University, have joined

volunteer. The volunteers are trained

than $70,000 in filing fees and collected

the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and

to file tax returns under the IRS’s e-file

more than $120,000 in federal and state

Community Action Southwest to offer

system. Trained students will volunteer

returns.

low-income families and individuals free

more than 30 hours each through April 6.

tax preparation services. Offered through the Volunteers in Tax Assistance (VITA) network, the

“Providing a free service for under-

Nearly $200,000 was brought back into Greene County as a result of the

privileged families, and saving them

VITA program and the assistance from

hundreds of dollars, is one of the best

Waynesburg University students. In


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