The Building Blocks of Giving
The Building Blocks of Giving
East Campus means something different to everyone. Although the 57 woodland acres look different than the primary Springfield College campus on Alden Street, the educational and transformational opportunities are the same.
The programming that occurs in such a unique setting allows for East Campus to be a catalyst for students, faculty and staff, and the surrounding community to reach their potential. However, it isn’t the elements, the natural surroundings, or the distinct Southwestern style building that makes East Campus special. The true magic comes from the people.
Thanks to the generosity of a group of supporters who are passionate about East Campus, a new space now exists that will increase opportunities for how that magic can be experienced. Built on the south side of the Southwestern style building, visitors will now be able to enjoy a beautifully constructed 1,800 square-foot outdoor patio.
In addition to increasing the square footage, functionality, and physical beauty of the Southwestern style building, the patio reveals how it takes a special community of supporters to create the building blocks where students, staff, and visitors can form new memories, strengthen relationships, and discover their untapped potential.
Giving Their Time and Talent
The first building block, time, donated by Brian Miles, G’12, and his father, Paul. While completing a master’s degree in athletic counseling, Brian took a course taught by Associate Director of East Campus Angela Veatch, G’07, and shortly thereafter became a facilitator at East Campus.
“Veatch” mentored Brian and they developed a close friendship. After graduating, the two stayed in touch and Brian would often run ideas by Veatch as he designed mental performance programming for the U.S. Army and now for the Cleveland Indians.
When Veatch mentioned the idea of the patio to Brian, he put her in touch with his father who owned a landscaping business, from which he recently retired. From conception to completion, over the course of nine months, Paul volunteered his expertise to Ben Taylor, director of East Campus, and Veatch to sketch the design of the patio and to provide endless guidance as Veatch and Taylor embarked on the daunting task of installing the patio themselves.
“The Miles family are givers; people who selflessly donated their valuable time and knowledge, all with the intent of enriching others’ experiences at East Campus. I don’t know that we could ever adequately articulate our gratitude for all that they contributed to this project, because quite frankly, we couldn’t have done it without them,” said Veatch.
Leaders Who are Committed
The second building black is the blood, sweat, and tears of the East Campus leaders themselves. In lieu of hiring landscapers, Veatch and Taylor opted to do all the manual labor themselves, which included lifting bricks and pavers weighing as much as 50 pounds.
“When you talk about putting blood, sweat, and tears into a place, there is no better description than what Veatch and Ben did. I’ve done landscaping for 15 years and I’ve never seen a project this size done by just two people,” Brian said.
The Magic of Giving
The final building block is made up of the donors. The construction of the patio was completely funded by Friends of East Campus. It would not have been possible without the donations of people like Brian and the alumni, students, faculty, staff, families, and friends who give each year.
The completion of the patio provides a visual of that support system. The layout is constructed of three different size pavers, similar to the various-sized gifts to Friends of East Campus. Each gift—whether small, medium, or large—was a necessary contribution, each one essential to the end product.
Creating More Opportunities
For Brian, seeing the patio come to life is a part of why he supports Friends of East Campus.
“The more we give, the more opportunities there are to experience the magic of East Campus. I want people to experience the sensations, excitement, and happiness that the majority of individuals experience when they step foot on that property” he said.
Fortunately for the hundreds of people who benefit from the programs and facilities at East Campus, there are people like Brian and Paul who help keep the magic alive by giving their time, support, and passion.
To ensure the magic continues, consider making a gift to Friends of East Campus on Giving Day, March 3, at springfield.edu/givingday.
