Seasons of service: The Mount gives back
From spooky treats to holiday feasts, the Mount community spent the Fall 2025 semester serving its neighbors in record numbers.
A spooktacular Halloween
Photos provided
Things kicked off in October with a frightfully good time at the annual Trunk-or-Treat event. Transforming the Hudson Hall parking lot into a Halloween haven, students, faculty, and staff welcomed more than 250 local children and parents for an afternoon of candy, costumes, and community.
More than 20 trunks were decked out in themes ranging from The Wizard of Oz to Frankenstein’s monster, hosted by student groups including the Baseball Team, the Latino Student Union, and the Esports Club. Attendees devoured nearly 200 hot dogs – sponsored by the Desmond Center for Community Engagement and Wellness – while competing for prizes. The trunk decorating crown went to Janice Werba, followed closely by the Get Creative Club and the Performing Arts Society.
A Thanksgiving of record-breaking generosity
Photos by Adam Skura
As November rolled in, the college partnered with the Regional Food Bank of the Hudson Valley and other local organizations to take part in the largest single-day Thanksgiving food distribution in New York State history.
Braving the November chill and rain, three dozen Mount volunteers, joined by U.S. Congressman Pat Ryan and NYS Assembly members Jonathan Jacobson and Chris Eachus, distributed roughly 700 frozen turkeys and supplemental food packages to local families.
“It’s an important start to the next month of holidays, making the days a little brighter for many,” said Michael L. Fox, Acting Dean of the School of Business and Vice President of the Food Bank’s Board.
At the Desmond Center, families from the Newburgh Enlarged City School District were treated to a warm sit-down Thanksgiving dinner, fostering fellowship over plates of traditional trimmings. Meanwhile, at The View dining hall, Dr. Robert Gervasi and other campus leaders turned the tables – literally – by serving Thanksgiving dinner to students as a gesture of gratitude for their hard work.
Christmas cheer for all
Photos by Lee Ferris
Closing out the semester, the Mount community ensured that the spirit of giving extended to the youngest members of the Hudson Valley. Spearheaded by Fr. Gregoire Fluet, Vice President for Mission and Ministry and Campus Chaplain, the annual toy drive collected more than 1,000 of gifts for local children.
In a collaborative effort with Catholic Charities of Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster Counties, students and staff loaded up the donations to be distributed to families in need, proving once again that at the Mount, service is a season that never ends.
Students pen thank you cards to local veterans
Photos by Lee Ferris
In a display of gratitude and respect, students dedicated their time on Thursday, November 6 to creating personalized, handwritten thank you cards for local veterans.
Hosted by the Leadership and Scholarship Students program, the veteran card making event brought students together to express their appreciation for the courage, bravery, and selflessness of those who have served the nation.
The cards, many featuring patriotic themes and illustrations, offered deeply personal messages: “Your service and dedication for our country will never be forgotten,” read one of the student messages.
The collected cards were distributed to veterans at local facilities and organizations in the Hudson Valley in time for Veterans Day.
Mount and local volunteers join forces to beautify Downing Park
Photo by Angelina Mainiero
Community spirit was in full bloom as volunteers from the Mount joined forces with the Downing Park Planning Committee and the Garden Club of Orange and Dutchess Counties for a concentrated clean-up effort.
Dozens of volunteers, including many students from the college’s Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP), descended on Downing Park in October and November, working side-by-side with local residents to plant flowers, clear brush, and prepare the landscape for the coming winter.
Karen Eberle-McCarthy, professor emerita of Spanish at the Mount, helped to coordinate the effort. She is also a member of both the Downing Park Conservancy and the Garden Club of Orange and Dutchess Counties, so the effort held a very special place in her heart.
The clean-up is part of an ongoing initiative by the Downing Park Planning Committee to restore the park to its former glory. Downing Park was the last collaboration between renowned landscape architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux. Their plan for Downing Park was completed in 1889 and was a tribute to their mentor, Andrew Jackson Downing.
Mount hosts community blood drive
Students, faculty, and staff, as well as members of the local community, came together to donate to a blood drive in the Fluet Family Auditorium at Hudson Hall in October.
Dozens of donors gave the gift of life.
The college’s Student Nurses’ Association planned the event and was among those assisting, along with medical professionals from the New York Blood Center.
