Concert to aid fund for CCC students

Local country artists will perform at Clinton Community College on Feb. 9

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PLATTSBURGH | A recently-divorced mother with an infant to support was neck-deep in coursework at Clinton Community College when her computer crashed. 

But she couldn’t afford the repairs, and completing coursework at public computer labs proved to be difficult — especially as she balanced caring for a young child.

She was at the cusp of withdrawing from college when the school came to her rescue.

“We were able to intervene and get her a laptop,” said Megan Morrissey-Kelley, associate director of institutional advancement at Clinton Community College. “She will graduate in May.”

A concert to benefit Clinton Community College’s Student Emergency Fund is slated for Feb. 9.

Local musicians Roy Hurd, Taylor LaValley, Tim Harnett and Skip Smithson will perform alongside the Plattsburgh High School Select Vocal Ensemble from 7-9 p.m. at the Stafford Auditorium.

Through the years, the college has informally helped students pay for groceries, purchase bus passes to get to school and helped them pay for books when their belongings were destroyed.

“The idea for the emergency fund began with a house fire years back that displaced some of our students,” Morrissey-Kelley said. “They lost all of their belongings. We took up a collection and replaced all of their textbooks.”

The program identifies at-risk students every semester, and a formal fund was established two years ago.

Since then, 15 students have benefited from $6,230 in emergency funding.

The college foundation raises money through fundraisers and an option to donate in their annual campaign letter.

Tickets for the concert on Friday, Feb. 9 are $10 in advance and $15 at the door, with all proceeds going towards the fund.

For more information, contact the Clinton Community College Foundation at 518-562-4161 or foundation@clinton.edu. Tickets are available online at cccfoundationinc.net/new-page-4.