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