Killer Whale Kills Trainer

By: Jane Caragher

A SeaWorld killer whale snatched a trainer off a poolside platform in its jaws Wednesday and thrashed the woman around underwater, killing her in front of a horrified audience. This was the third time that this particular whale has been involved in the death of a person. After this happened the audience was rushed out of the park and the park was closed for the rest of the day.

The woman that was killed was Dawn Brancheau. At 40, she one of the parks most experienced trainers and worked with the killer whales for over 10 years. Brancheau knew that she wanted to work with sea life after her first time at Sea World when she was 9 years old.

Brancheau was rubbing Tilikum, the 12,000 pound killer whale, when eyewitnesses say that he pulled her into the water. They aren’t sure if she died from drowning or from being thrashed around the water. Because of Tilikum’s size and previous death record, trainers didn’t go into the water with him for their safety.

Tilikum’s first accident was in 1991 when a woman lost her balance and fell into his tank in British Colombia. The other accident occurred in 1999, when a man who had sneaked by Sea World security was found draped over Tilikum. The man either fell into the water, was pulled in by the whale or jumped into the water and died of hypothermia, though he did have bruises and scratches from Tilikum.

Great Success for Pink Out

By: Arianna Fragiacomo

On Saturday February 20, 2010 Mount Saint Mary College hosted its first ever “Pink Out. The event was held in the Kaplan Lobby during the Men’s and Women’s Basketball games. The event was being held to raise awareness for breast cancer research.

Fundraising tables lined the walls of the Kaplan Lobby. Baskets full of donations were given to “Pink Out” to be raffled off to raise money that will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Monetary donations were also being accepted at the table in the center of the lobby.

“Pink Out” was a great success! So far $3800 has been raised with monetary donations still being accepted 

and this number will grow!  There were many companies that donated to this event: Classic tents out of 

Newburgh, NY contributed the white and pink linens for the tables, American Industrial out of Fort Lee, NJ 

gave the women's warm-ups, Implus Footcare out of Durham, NC donated the men's shoe laces, and Judy 

Horvers from Kingston, NY gave the women’s laces.  

Teachers, students, and parents raved about “Pink Out.”  The reactions of everyone walking through those doors

 were nothing short of amazement.  The goal of this event was to raise awareness about breast cancer and it did 

just that.  People came together for a common cause and really showed their support by donating and contributing

to this cause.

The organizer of this event is a senior here at the Mount.  Gianna Cesa, a Public Relations Major, put on the event as her senior thesis project.  When I asked her about her feelings about the success of the event you could hear the excitement in her voice as she said "The hearts were captured of every person who walked into that lobby on Friday."  She exceeded her goals in creating something great that will hopefully be continued for years to come.

Second Shooting in 2 Years

By Jared Davis

This past Friday, Northern Illinois University experienced its second shooting in two years. In 2008, six students were left dead when a gunman opened fire in one of NIU's lecture halls. Fortunately, the most recent incident did not end in fatality, although one student was wounded.

There is little information released regarding what prompted the shooting at this point. However, police reported to CBS news that "it was an isolated incident between two individuals." According to the Northern Illinois University website, the shooting was reported at 4:29 AM. Police already had a suspect in custody and had begun their investigation by around 5:00 AM. The victim in the shooting was reportedly taken to nearby Kishwaukee Community Hospital for treatment. According to stltoday.com, "there are no details yet about that person's condition."

For students at NIU, this incident is likely a reminder of 2008's tragedy. Just five days before the most recent shooting, a candlelight vigil was held in honor of the victims of the 2008 shooting. It;s difficult to comprehend how two such incidents could occur at the same university in such a short time period. This is especially true when one considers that the concealed weapon laws for the state of Illinois are rather strict in that they require anyone who is in the possession of firearms or ammunition to have a valid Firearms Owner's Identification Card.

Sadly, school shootings have become somewhat of a common occurrence in the United States. This recent incident not only calls to mind NIU's fatal shooting of 2008, but other such tragedies as well. One which likely resonates most in the minds of college students is the Virginia Tech shooting of 2007 which left 33 people dead and many injured.

Even though no fatalities resulted from this recent occurrence at Northern Illinois University, the incident demonstrates that school shootings remain a serious threat in the U.S.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoisnews/story/76F1EF42D03D171D862576CF004631F8?OpenDocument#tp_newCommentAnchor

http://www.collegenews.com/index.php?/article/northern_illinois_university_shooting_injures_one_suspect_in_custody_021920109556855/

The Finish Line

By Steve Gida

As the hot button issue of health care reform draws to a close, President Barack Obama has released a trillion dollars, last ditch effort bill to reign in the cost of premiums for middle class citizens, lower the steep deficit, and attempt to garner support from the Republican Party, who have up till now, have been boldly resistant to what they preceive as a "government takeover of health care".

As Mr. Obama unveils his Administration's proposal for real reform in the health arena, his compromise comes at a price to his original promise: that the bill should not exceed 900 billion dollars, in order to avoid adding to the federal deficit. However, known that time is short and support is waning, the President has seized the opportunity to force Republicans into a corner as the much sought after live bipartisan health care debate airs on C-SPAN on the 25th, where a group of senior Democrats and Republicans will sit down to attempt to create a bipartisan bill, in hopes of putting the harsh memories of 2009 behind everyone.

Obama's plan would cover close to 31 million uninsured Americans, while, instead of lowering the federal deficit by 150 billion dollars, would only lower it by 30 billion dollars, according to the non partisan Congressional Budget Office.

Closer than ever before to passing comprehensive health legislation, Congress was stalled by the upset election of Senator Scott Brown (R-MA). Determined not to go to voters empty handed in the November elections, Democrats have extended to their hands for Republican support as the time to pass the bill wanes.

The new bill would give the Health and Human Services Secretary power to control and regulate insurance premium prices, thus making it more effective to control long term costs and ensure that the 31 million uninsured have coverage in order to prevent adding to the deficit.

Whether the bill generates any GOP support remains to be seen. However, if the POTUS and Congressional Democrats are unsuccessful at gaining right wing support, the last option, reconciliation, in order to avoid Republican filibusters, is the next step to pass the bill. However, some Dems are concerned about is the bill would be able to be passed using this tactic and still be effective upon passage.

My UNSUNG Hero

By: Joed Esperance

As you might know I went to Florida for the weekend, but not for vacation. It was to assist my father bid his father farewell. These are the things I learned about my granddad Papa Joe, throughout his homegoing service. Reverend Joseph Joel Esperance. beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, friend, evangelist and minister of the Gospel went to be with The Lord on Tuesday, January 19, 2010. He was 96 years old.

Rev. Esperance was born in Legoane, Haiti on January 21, 1913, son of the late Estelancieu Jean-Philippe and Zulie Esperance. He grew up in Petion-Ville, Haiti, where he met and married his wife of 63 years, Anne Martineau. Rev. Esperance was ordained as a minister in 1956 and later migrated to Miragoane, in the southwest of Haiti to become the Pentecostal Church of God's 1st Superintendent of the southern region.

Rev. Esperance, my grandfather founded and pastored over 500 churches, bringing countless souls to our Lord and Savior JESUS-CHRIST.

Rev. Esperance rec

ognized that the body needed to be fed in order for the soul to be nourished, so he opened a cantina that fed hundreds of families daily. He didn't restrict himself to just building churches, he also opened many schools to afford children an education that they would otherwise not have been able to get.

In the area of Haiti where Rev. Esperance lived, medical care was scarce, so he took it upon himself to open up a clinic and with limited medical knowledge, he provided first-aid and routine care to his community, thereby saving many lives.

He received numerous awards and recognitions for his work during his lifetime, one of which is a school in Miragoane named after him.

Rev. Esperance was a pillar of his community, and enumerating his accomplishments and the many lives he's touched, the many people he's mentored, who've gone on to accomplish great things would fill a novel.

Even with such great success, Rev. Esperance was humble man, who considered himself a servant of The Lord first. He instilled the same value in his 9 children, 23 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren, leaving behind 8 active Pastors from his offspring.

Papa Joe, as he was affectionately known, will always be remembered, sadly missed, & truly loved.

In Picture (from left to right): Rev. Joseph J. Esperance (my grandfather) & Rev. Serge R. Esperance (my father).

These Are Times We All Don't Wish For...

By Joed Esperance

This semester has been tough for me, first he devastation of Haiti, and then I had to break the news of the loss of my grandfather to my father. En route from Florida to NYC I received an email from my mother of my family’ school in Haiti. The newly built & recently inaugurated (2months ago) school has been reduced to rubble. Thankfully, no children were inside the building at the time of the calamity.

November 17^th, 2009 served, as a special day for me I just left school for a flight Miami, to be in Haiti the following day to inaugurate my grandmother’s school. Fernande Valme born in Leogane, Haiti, became known for prayer session, the spread of the gospel, philanthropy & charity. Stating prayer meetings in her home, expanding to a basement of a Brooklyn apartment building. People came from all over forcing causing the basement, to be no place to house the visitors, landing them at their current location at 1120 Flatbush Ave.

My grandmother’s dream was to build a hospital, ch

urch & school in Haiti. In 2007, God blessed my grandmother to break land in Haiti where the school was to be constructed. May 19^th, 2008 the ord called her home Which is why November 18^th,2009, meant the world to me. I came back to NY the next day with pictures for Facebook & a new attitude of Gratitude.

This is the results of the school after January 12^th,2010 quake and we’re not allowing this to tear us down The kids need the school & we need your hands to rebuild. Unity creates power. Please send your support, ideas & prayers towards Haiti. Thank You & God Bless. For more info please Email Esperance1617@aol.com

Tiger Ready To Speak

By Zach Shaw

America’s most successful athlete, after being on indefinite hiatus for the past 3 months, is ready to come out and talk about personal problems and maybe give some sort of timetable for his return to the sport he loves. Eldrick Woods, better known as “Tiger” and once America’s premier “good guy” athlete has come under fire amidst accusations of infidelity, sex addiction and even whispers of the use of performance enhancing drugs.

The downfall of Tiger Woods was a high, steep one. Beginning on November 27th with a relatively minor car crash outside of his home, his problems quickly grew into a national phenomena with seemingly every mother, daughter and sister coming forward with claims of having sexual affairs with Tiger. Two weeks later, in front of every major global network, Woods admitted to infidelity and announced that he would be taking an indefinite break from golf while he sorts out his personal issues and attempts to salvage his marriage.

Like before mentioned, all of Tiger’s problems stemmed from an incident that occurred outside of his home when he reportedly stormed out of his home before rushing out of the driveway in his 2008 Escalade before running over some shrubs and crashing into a fire hydrant. Woods was dragged out of his car by his wife, Elin Nordegren, before an ambulance came and treated him for facial lacerations. This little accident, as small as it was, was the start of one of the most epic falls an American athlete has been a part of.

More than a dozen women spanning the globe have come forward, claiming to have been in affairs with Tiger Woods, most notably Joslyn James who claims that Woods has gotten her pregnant twice; once ending in abortion and the second ending in a miscarriage. This affair may be one of the reasons why Woods reportedly went to a sex addiction rehabilitation center. He also had an affair with multiple women from the UK, one who attempted to sell nude photographs of Woods until an injunction was placed upon them.

The fall that Tiger has taken rivals what we’ve seen from other American “heroes” such as Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire O.J. Simpson; Men who after having superstardom, fell from grace in the eyes of even their most loyal fans. The only difference between Tiger and those men is that Tiger’s career is still in its prime. He still continues to be the best golfer and maybe even the most dominant athlete in the world. With this, Tiger has the ability to do what athletes like Kobe Bryant, who was accused of rape and adultery and Ray Lewis, who was charged with murder did for themselves after their legal and personal troubles; Tiger can rebuild his image piece by piece. This fall from grace has also effected Woods’ pockets, losing him millions in future endorsements while many of his sponsors, such as Gillette, have jumped ship.

America is a funny place where the ones we love may not always be the ones we should emulate. Tomorrow’s press conference will probably be nothing more than Tiger dancing around questions in front of the firing squad that is the American media. But he needs to show his face, he needs to come clean with his fans. Americans are a forgiving bunch once you’ve admitted wrong. So what can Tiger really do to get back to where he once was, not only on top of the golf world but of the entire sports world? He needs to get back to what he once was; a passionate, charismatic role model who single handedly changed golf from an old man’s game into something exciting for all ages to watch. And the other thing he must do is win, winning changes everything.

Olympic Luger Dies

By Tyler Meissner

The 2010 Olympics have started this year with a dramatic and upsetting entrance. Friday was the the Men's single luge first training session and the location of the death of 21 year old luger Georgian Nodar Kumaritashvili. According to sources, he was going 88 mph when his sled flew off the course after rounding the final corner of the track. According to Michelle Kaufman, writer and reporter for the Miami Herald, Kumaritashvili slammed his body into a metal pole and was considered unconscience and was unable to be revived.

This young olympian's death stunned the world and the International Olympic Committee. The president of the IOC was horrified by the accident and stated "Here you have a young athlete that lost his life in pursuing his passion. He had a dream to participate in the Olympic Games. He trained hard and he had this fatal accident. I have no words to say what we feel. The whole Olympic family is struck by this tragedy, which clearly casts a shadow over these Games."

As for the track, the International Luge Federation conducted and experiment investigating the circumstances of the accident. Multiple lugers crashed and many complaints were made about the speed of the track. U.S. luger Tony Benshoof said of the dangers of the sport: "The tracks are getting faster and faster. It's getting pretty crazy" while an Australian luger, stated "I think they are pushing it a little too much." "To what extent are we just little lemmings that they just throw down a track and we're crash-test dummies? I mean, this is our lives."

Although the tragic death of Nodar Kumaritashvili will haunt the Olympics this year, many if not all participants have made it clear that they will still compete; the Georgia Minister of Culture and Sport Nikolos Rurua stated that his team would compete in honor and memory of their fallen team mate.

Worst Winter Ever

By: Jane Caragher

The East Coast was buried in nearly a foot of snow on Wednesday making it the second blizzard in about two weeks. Most places have received at least a foot of snow and some places have received much more than that.

The roads were so bad that the plows were told to get off the road because of how dangerous they were. In Pennsylvania the governor told people not to go on the roads because they will be risking not only their lives but also the lives of others. In trying to prevent people from driving, he closed off some of the major highways in Pennsylvania. Many flights were cancelled and delayed and federal workers stayed home for the third day in a row because Washington D.C. received so much snow.

These past couple of days, the massive amounts of snow that the East Coast has received has helped break records from previous years. The record that was broken was from 1995-96, when Philadelphia received 65.5 inches of snow. Baltimore beat that record this year with 72.3 inches.

American Chopper Gets Chopped

By Jared Davis

After more than seven years on the air, the Hudson Valley based reality series American Chopper is coming to a screeching halt. The series originally debuted on The Discovery Channel in 2002, but was later moved to its sister station, TLC. Many locals have become accustomed to or a part of the buzz surrounding the series which aired regularly on TLC and gave a firsthand look at the inner workings of a bike shop/garage in which custom motorcycles or “choppers” are built. The company which the show focuses on, Orange County Choppers, has seen a great deal of success over recent years. So much so that the company was able to open their international headquarters in Newburgh, New York on April 24 of 2008. However, TLC has recently decided to cancel the series which is based around OCC after a long and successful run.

The success of the popular reality series is not solely the result of its depiction of what is involved in motorcycle construction. Part of the show’s appeal stemmed from the interaction between the members of the Teutul family, which consists of Paul Sr., Paulie Jr., and Mikey. According to Michael D. Ayers of Aol.com, “in recent years, the show spawned a bit of bad blood, including when Paulie got ‘terminated’ at the beginning of season 6.” This claim is further supported by a statement made recently in an article composed by the Times Herald Record, which suggests that the actual reason for Paulie Jr.’s departure was his desire to start his own business. The article also briefly mentions that this situation has erupted into a legal dispute between Paul Sr. and Paul Jr. Based on the start that the most recent season of the series got off to, one could have possibly predicted such an ending.

The final episode of American Chopper will air on Thursday, February 11th on TLC. For many motorheads out there, it will be a sad end to a long ride. Time will tell what will become of Orange County Choppers as a result of the cancellation of the series. As of right now, there are no reports suggesting that the series and the company as a whole will share the same fate.

Kleen Power Plant Explosion

By: Arianna Fragiacomo

An explosion at Kleen Power Plant in Middletown, Connecticut this past Sunday left 5 dead and 25 injured. The power plant was under construction at the time of the blast. Workers were working on a natural gas pipeline which is believed to have been the cause of the accident.

The power plant is a 620 megawatt gas fired power plant. Upon competition the power plant would have been one of the biggest power plants in Connecticut. There were 50 people working on the plant at the time of the explosion, says Al Santostefano, Fire Deputy Marshall.

The plant was 95% completed. The completion date was set for June 1. Middletown Mayor, Sebastian Giuliano, stated that was no threat to people living in the surrounding area from any substances that may be in the air. There are search and rescue teams combing the area for any victims of the blast. There were many different contractors involved and employee lists were being compiled to see who was working when the accident occurred.

Victims were sent sent to Middlesex Hospital, Yale New Haven Hospital, and Hartford Hospital to be treated. It took emergency crews a while to get inside of the plant directly after the explosion because of the fire.

Residents of the surrounding area reported feeling the blast from up to 20 miles away. Many residents said it felt like an earthquake has struck the Connecticut area.

The Newly Developed Women's Lacrosse Team

By Kathleen Kellerman

Mount Saint Mary’s Women’s Lacrosse team is newly developed and has just begun training for its first spring season. Try-out’s during the fall consisted of girls from freshman year to senior year experienced and non experienced picking up their lacrosse sticks, borrowed or owned and formed a team. Coach Rachel Simone, put out forth a lot of effort in teaching the girls who had never played basic skills to get them on track with those who have been playing for years. Lacrosse dinners and a habitat for humanity project brought the team of 18-22 year old girls together.

A later addition to the team was Assistant Coach Jesse Nunn, a recent Brown University graduate who had played on their women’s lacrosse team. Jesse who’s 23 brought years of experience to the field as she helped those still struggling to catch up with the other players. Practices during the fall were consistent, and focused mainly on getting the team back in shape, and beginning to learn the rules of the D3 College Lacrosse League. Originally the newly developed team was only supposed to be a Club sport, but quickly changed to D3. At the end of the fall, the team played in a tournament in support for the Autism Organization called the Great Pumpkin Smash at Marywood University. A few other women’s lacrosse teams from other colleges and universities competed and for the first tournament Mount Saint Mary competed in, the team had a 2-2 record. In order to determine which girls could join the Coach Rachel and Jesse on this tournament since they’re were too many girls, they identified who were the most improved and dedicated players.

Shh...Don't Ask and I Won't Tell

By Steve Gida

Determined to carry out a campaign promise that was a focal point of his campaign, President Obama and his administration are now seeking Congress to repeal the controversial 1993 military law, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", in order to continue to have the support of the LGBT minority of America and to ease the tension that usually discourages gays from enlisting in the miltary.

The controversial law was enacted by President Bill Clinton in 1993 in order to protect soldiers from having to reveal their orientation to prevent vilification and redicule from fellow soldiers. The law states that enlisted and officials of the military are prevented from inquiring about the sexual orientation of any military personnel, and bars soldiers from responding to said questions. It bars homosexual men and women from actively serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.

From an oppositional viewpoint on this matter, CNN interviewed Navy Airman Lindsey Runkle, who said that "in a way, I think it should just be left alone... I think everything's fine the way it is now. ... if you get rid of it, I think it'll just cause way too many problems." (1)

However, there are those who share a different perspective on the matter. Former Amry sergeant Darren Manzella, who was discharged from the DADT law after actively serving in Iraq, "said that if anything, coming out to his unit 'brought us closer together...it brings trust,' he said, 'It [makes] unity stronger.'"

Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen, who both favor the repeal of the law, are testifying before a congressional panel, stating how ending DADT would encourage Americans of any orientation to enlist in the military, thereby boosting enrollment overall and giving each and every American the opporutunity to show their love and patriotism of our nation and flag. "Retired Army Gen. Colin L. Powell, who was instrumental in crafting what was seen as a compromise in 1993, now says lifting the ban is 'he right thing to do.'
"If the chiefs and commanders are comfortable with moving to change the policy," Powell told the Washington Post, "then I aupport it." (2)

The tidal wave of support on Capitol Hill is apparently a view shared by "seventy-five percent of Americans in a 2008 Washington Post-ABC News poll", who endorse repealing DADT in order to prevent the stress and pressure gays and lesbians endure each day in the military, wondering if each day would be their last to serve their nation. Even those who are on their way to the recruiting station feel the tension, the guilt of having to conceal their lifestyle in order to put their life on the line for the nation that gave them freedom and liberty.

Although it seems likely DADT will be outlawed, the fight in D.C. will be a long and tough one. With Republicans now boasting a 41- minority in the Senate, they now hold the power to block any legislation the President attempts to channel through Congress. Whether the voice of average Americans and civil rights groups will be heard remains to be seen.



Sources: (1) CNN
http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/02/03/dadt.servicemembers.thoughts/index.html?hpt=Sbin

(2) Yahoo! News- The Christian Science Monitor
http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20100206/ts_csm/278674_1

Anthony Bourdain visits the Mid-Hudson Area, By Samantha Miller

Anthony Bourdain is a celebrity chef, world traveler, bestselling author, and the host to "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations." He travels around the world experiencing different cultures and foods. Anthony Bourdain graduated from the Culinary Institute and started running kitchens in New York City such as Super Club, One Fifth Avenue and Sullican's. His works have been viewed in many magazines, books and newspapers. The New York Times published Bourdain's description of New York City's restaurants "Don't Eat Before Reading This," which recieved really great reviews and helped him with his successful book, "Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly." In 2002, The Food Network started Bourdain's success by debuting him in a twenty-two episode featuring him traveling around the globe and understanding eating habits with the best cuisines the world has to offer. Shortly after he became the host of The Travel Channel's, "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations."
Recently he visited the Mid-Hudson Valley to a local place in Goshen, New York called Quaker Creek store. He was very interested in their deep Polish heritage and their signature kielbasa. He spent an entire day cisiting the location to where he asked many questions about the ancestors who created the store in 1947. He was so interest he ended up filming an apisode with one of the main chef's of the store. Along with the store he also filmed other local areas in the Mid-Hudson area such as Mohonk Mountain House, The Culinary Institute and a Newburgh taco cart. The show will be airing on February 8th, Monday night at 10pm on the Travel Channel.

Trials in Newburgh by Tyler Meissner

Recently, the New York candidate George Phillips stated that trials for Khalid Mohammad and fellow 9/11 terrorist will be taken place in Newburgh, NY. Originally president Obama declared that the trials were to be held in New York City, but government officials considered the act "inappropriate." Possible locations for these trials include Air National Guard Base at Stewert Airport, West Point and Otisville Federal Prison.

Valentine states that the reason for holding the trials in such a place (Orange County) is because Newburgh would benefit from this "international attention." In an interview, Valentine quoted
"For a city like Newburgh, it could not only put us on the map, but it would benefit us for many, many years to come."

However, executives such as Edward Diana claim that they discourage the idea of holding such trials within the Orange County by stating "it would be an insult to our residents." Along with Diana, state senator Leibell and state assemblyman Molinaro have discouraged Valentine's proposal as well claiming that the attention would put New Yorkers "at risk' and would allow terrorists to "sprout their hatred and inspire others to commit heinous crimes."

Many believe that Newburgh has its hands full already and does not need the possibly of becoming a "terrorist target".

From: Anne Siemon St. Patrick’s Soup Kitchen is actually located next to St. Patrick’s Church in the basement of what was a school at one time. Walking into the back of the school, down a ramp, through double doors, I was expecting the kitchen itself to be bigger. However, I recalled another volunteer, Eliany Gonzalez’s words, “It does not matter where the food is served, what is important is that people in need are receiving it.” I was first greeted with a friendly hello by the director, Vickie McKoy, who was busy with the other faithful volunteers preparing the meal that would be served that day.
St. Patrick’s Soup Kitchen is located in Newburgh, NY, on 55 Grand St., with hours of operation Monday through Friday, with breakfast from 9:45am-10:30am and lunch 11:45am-12:30p.m. Campus Ministry provides transportation every Monday and Thursday at 11:20 to St. Patrick’s and arriving back to school at the latest, 12:30 p.m. With donations from local organizations, Shop Rite, and the faculty and students here at Mount Saint Mary College, make it possible for Soup Kitchen to serve these vital meals. For an example, on the day I volunteered my time to the Soup Kitchen, the lunch consisted of pasta, bread, dessert, and juice. Around 11:45, before the meal is served, a passage then a prayer is spoken by the priest of St. Patrick’s. On any given day there are more than 50 people who come to eat what may be their only meal of the day at the Soup Kitchen. Volunteering at the Soup Kitchen was a very humbling experience for me, as well as the other volunteers. The people served are all very appreciative and thankful for your time, and in less than an hour you can help in a small way yet make a difference in another’s life. If you have any questions you can contact Sister Kathy the director of Campus Ministry, or e-mail The Office of Campus Ministry's graduate assistant, Katie Hessle, at khessle@msmc.edu. Around this time of the year the food on the shelves of the Soup Kitchens pantry start to diminish, so if you have any donations please bring them to Campus Ministry in Hudson. Any kind of contribution will help!