Stephanie Pietropaolo enjoys her time as a volunteer at the SIKC Dog Show.

While the Staten Island Kennel Club (SIKC) proudly paraded their pups at its 106th annual Dog Show, which was held at the College of Staten Island, the Office of Disability Services at CSI had something else to be proud of.

For the second year in a row, the Office’s student organization, the ALPHA Club (Academics, Leadership, Public Service, Honor, & Acceptance) came out to help with the event on June 25 and 26, 2011. About 12 ALPHA volunteers did everything from setting up canine agility courses to assisting in scorekeeping.

“Thanks to the members of ALPHA, we were able to volunteer and show support to the community. It was great to see how we all worked as a team to help make this event successful,” noted Kelyn Potes, ALPHA Club President. “I’m proud of all our members for their hard work in the blazing sun. They are continually giving of their time to help others, and that is what makes ALPHA such a wonderful club,” added Marybeth Melendez, Club Adviser and former Club President.

The ALPHA Club is certainly making their mark, both at CSI and in the Staten Island community. They have raised and donated over $1,500 to the American Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti and also volunteer to make, donate, and distribute food, as well as hold recreational workshops for children at Project Hospitality.

The Club was the recipient of CSI’s Philanthropic Club Award for two years in a row (2010-2011) and also received the Ellen Krieger Service Award for its “Peanut Butter & Jelly Jam” program, in which students made hundreds of sandwiches and bagged lunches for the homeless.

The Office of Disability Services is a part of the Division of Student Affairs. For more information regarding the diverse and comprehensive services available to CSI students, please visit the Student Affairs website.