Left to right: Kim Coppola, Pres. St. Bernadette’s School, Principal Sherry Steines, St. Bernadette’s School, Me presenting the check to the Principal (Susan Campion, Co-treasurer “Democrats for a New Vision”, Nick Colavolpe, Co-Treasurer of PAC presenting check to Lucia Paolella, Principal Nathan Hale School, Rosa Rodriguez, Acting Pres. Nathan Hale School, and Father Carter, Pastor of Saint Bernadette’s parish. Not in the picture but present, Sal DeCola, Vice- Pres. School and Church Council, St. Bernadette’s parish.
East Shore Democrat Susan Campion sent in this write-up about the final charitable donation of her Political Action Committee.
The “Democrats for a New Vision” PAC’s co-treasurers’ Susan Campion and Nick Colavolpe today announced a new community enrichment action sponsored by the PAC. To celebrate 2011, the PAC dispersed its remaining funds with $500 contributions to the Nathan Hale PTO and the Saint Bernadette PTO on Monday, Jan. 10 at Nathan Hale School.
The PAC, “Democrats for a New Vision”, was formed in 2005 by several members of the 18th Dems Ward Committee. As an independent entity from the Ward Committee, it was formed to support local and state candidates’ campaigns and election activities. Soon after its creation, Nick Colavolope stated, the directors of the PAC decided that an additional use of funds would be the support of non-profit organizations, which promoted social action. “We thought outside the box of traditional political action contributions.” “We made donations to meet critical neighborhood and community needs.” Since its inception, the PAC has contributed to victims of Hurricane Katrina, the Greater New Haven Food Bank, the Homeless Food Services program of Saint Bernadette’s Church, and the Nathan Hale PTO. “
With the advent of Political Campaign Financing, it was decided that the PAC had served its political purpose and would be ended in 2011. Susan Campion said the severe fiscal challenges facing our neighborhood families and schools demanded our final donation go to the neighborhood schools, Nathan Hale’s and St. Bernadette’s PTOs. The final donations by “The “Democrats for a New Vision” PAC’s reflect our belief that the highest form of political action is community enrichment and empowerment.”
The respective school administrators and PTOs’ leadership were most grateful for the new funds. Principal Sherry Steines of St. Bernadette’s School and Nathan Hale, Principal Lucia Paolella planned to use the donations for similar student activities. Principal Steines and Principal Paolella both want to sponsor “educational field trips and enhancement of their schools’ curriculum”. Both principals said that the donations will help their PTOs avoid placing additional financial burdens on parents while offering students “new and exciting educational experiences in 2011.
Susan Campion stated that 2011 launches the municipal election cycle at a time when New Haven faces its most severe financial challenges in recent memory. She stated the PAC ‘s donations is our way of addressing this critical challenge. “It’s a case of putting our money where our values are-supporting our neighborhood youth and families. … Kids are our future”.
Colavolpe and Campion concluded that they hope that their PAC’s contribution to its neighborhood schools may encourage similar donations to New Haven schools and PTOs from 2011 municipal candidates’ campaigns or their respective PACs.