Jake Nelson
Contributing Writer
On Sunday, Dec. 2, Springfield College hosted a Hurricane Sandy relief charity dodgeball tournament. Senior Annie Bridson was the event creator and co-organizer, along with the help of adviser Annie Warchol. True to Springfield College’s mission of continuous community service and an unwavering desire to help those in need, Bridson simply wanted to help.
“As soon as I heard about the extent of the damage and those affected, I knew that I wanted to do anything I could to be a part of the relief effort,” Bridson explained.
Bridson’s ideas and planning for the dodgeball tournament truly stayed in line with Springfield’s philosophy of Spirit, Mind and Body.
“I wanted to do something involving physical activity that would appeal to the general student population, and felt that dodgeball was a good neutral choice of a game.”
With a plan of action in mind, Bridson took the idea of the tournament to Warchol, her adviser. While Bridson, from New Hampshire, was not personally affected by the hurricane, Warchol is a New Jersey native with several contacts who were affected by the super-storm.
Together, and with the help of campus recreation, Warchol and Bridson were able to put together the charity dodgeball tournament on Sunday evening from 7-10 p.m. in the Field House. The tournament required a minimum of six participants per team with an entry fee of $18 per team. Bridson described the mood of Sunday’s participants as “really competitive, but also very good-natured.”
In hindsight, Bridson described the event as a little under-advertised, but an all-around successful undertaking. Together, Warchol and Bridson were able to create a physically active and co-ed friendly dodgeball tournament. Trying to keep the wording in the description to a minimum, this is certainly easier said than done.
The event wrapped-up Sunday evening with a few hundred dollars of revenue raised for the Sandy relief effort. All proceeds raised from the tournament are going to a community of churches close to Warchol’s New Jersey home.
Just as important as the monetary value raised by the tournament is the principle of what Bridson and Warchol were able to do. Bridson’s desire to help those affected is a great example of the actions that SC desires out of its students.
Bridson’s decision to help those in need even though she was personally unaffected is truly refreshing and a testament to her development of character during her time here at Springfield College. It’s amazing to see an idea take shape, because any number of people, no matter how small, that believe they can make a positive impact on the world can.