Alfred State Fraternity at Fassett Greenspace Project

Kalvin  Hodgson

WELLSVILLE: Under a cold and constant rain, a group of Alfred State students brought their strength to the Fassett Greenspace Project to move heavy blocks, pull celery plants, hoist buckets of compost, spread peat moss and dig 6 large holes in what looked to be soil but turned out to be stone and mud.

                Kalvin Hodgson (Brooklyn NY, BA in Business explained that he was with a group from Psi Delta Omega Fraternity. Hodgson said that the brothers focus on activities that would be defined as philanthropy and youth service. In Alfred they often help the Hornell Humane Society.

Brothers and pledges spread compost in
the outer ring.

                They meet with young people in Hornell, interacting with them and playing basketball or other activities but through that they present to their young friends the idea that they too can go to college. It’s always easier to aim high when someone pays attention and tells you it’s possible.

                Kalvin said that he hasn’t heard this from someone yet but he knows others in the fraternity who has been thanked by kids who decided to go to college.

Celery roots are long, fine and extensive.
They hold tight to the soil. It's surprising how
difficult it is pull the plant out.
Quinn and Santos were surprised.

                While this group often goes to Hornell to work, on October 27, they traveled to Wellsille to do some heavy lifting at the Fassett Greenspace Project, ignoring the rain and cold of an early nor’easter.

Jason Boden, Aleczavier Cowans, Jonathan Betances, and
Tariq Yusuf helped dig the holes to place forms for the
Freenotes Harmony Sculptural Instruments.

                These brothers pledge to give 60 hours a year in community service. Jason Bodden (Building Trades, Construction) said that he looks to the group to make life long connections and says that the structure of the house encourages leadership skill development. Fraternity brothers with academic skills share those while others share their athletic skills. He described a defined governing structure that they adhere to with the goal of building character.

                Aleczavier Cowans has a degree in Culinary Arts already but he is still in Alfred working now to get a Bachelor’s in Business and in Tech Management. His family is from Jamaica and they all do a lot of gardening so he was interested in the goals of the Fassett Greenspace Project.

Santos Guevara, Brailen Tejada, Quinn Verpoten
mixing peat moss in with soil and compost.

                10 volunteers from Psi Delta Omega Fraternity spent one of October’s nastiest days helping the Wellsville community along side of four members of the Board of Directors of the project: Andy Glanzman, Cassandra Bull, Murph  Other members of Psi Delta Omega are Robert Smith, James Martin, Santos Guevara, Brailen Tejada, Quinn Verpoten, Tariq Yusuf, and Jonathan Betances.

Axtell and this reporter.