Bromfield senior Gwyneth Smedley, lead organizer and host of HC2. (Photos by Jen Manell)
The third Harvard Community Conference (HC2), with the theme “giving back,” was held in Volunteers Hall Saturday, March 7, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. An audience of about 40 gathered to hear seven members of the Harvard community describe their volunteering journeys, whether begun by chance, through midlife reflection, or conscious decision.
In 2018, then-senior J Woolcock organized the conference around the topic of identity for her Bromfield community service project, and the next year Kira Houston carried on the event with the theme of change. This year’s host, senior Gwyneth Smedley, thanked her predecessors: her supervisor, Ellen Leicher; the organization Arm in Arm; the Harvard Cultural Council; and Harvard Cable TV. Emphasizing how easy it is to get drawn into today’s climate of division and polarization, Smedley quoted her mentor in saying, “Giving back is the one thing that truly brings us together.”
‘Service to others: An Unexpected Journey’
For Bob Eiland, volunteering as a young man on the Cambridge Hotline helped him figure out his strengths and passions, which in turn led him on a new career path. Growing up, Eiland saw how his parents modeled service to others. In high school he was active on the student relations committee, and when he was in college, he wrote on political and social issues for the student newspaper. As a newbie on the Cambridge Hotline and not quite sure of its rules, one evening he started talking about himself to a silent caller on the line. Eventually, the caller, a teenager named Wendy, opened up to him about her struggles as a teenage mom. Eiland spent two years volunteering for the hotline, during which time he stayed in touch with Wendy. It was this volunteer counseling that led him to a paid job as director of the Weston Youth Center. In Harvard, as a supporter of cultural initiatives, Eiland produces events at Fivesparks; directs, acts, and produces the annual Old Time Radio Theater for the Harvard Friends of the Arts; and engages in programs at Bromfield.
Ron Ostberg speaks with a HC2 attendee. In his talk “Confessions of a Designer,” Ostberg discussed the challenges of an architect in choosing between ego and generosity.
'Confessions of a Designer'
Preparing for his talk was a serious undertaking for Ron Ostberg, because he saw it as an opportunity to make a “final report,” a “performance review” of his life as an architect that included commissions from Japan, Singapore, and Rome, as well as the United States. His reflections led him to realize that being an architect can lead to selfishness; the profession is driven by power and ego. In his career he vacillated between ego and generosity, and at a certain point he turned toward the latter. Rather than operating from his own pride, he needed to help the client be in charge. Engaging in collaboration in the design process and serving institutions that strive for social justice became more important to him than personal approbation. Here in Harvard, Ostberg has lent his architectural expertise to service on the Historical Commission, a series of charrettes on the use of municipal buildings, and school building projects.
‘The Gift of Stories’
As the third speaker, I talked about my writing for the Harvard Press. I said that while news stories inform and educate residents about important town issues, features and essays create a different sense of community. Articles on the history of the town help readers understand a common past; pieces about the programs of Arm in Arm support the diversity of the town and reveal the fundamental things that unite us; and introducing new events like December Fest and the Council on Aging story slam spread a realization of the vitality of the community. Listening to people and helping them give voice to important issues in their lives is the privilege of a feature writer. The stories of so many Harvard residents have touched me, and I hoped my writing about them would bring pride and inspiration to others and draw us closer together. Of my occasional Press column, “Reflections,” I said, “That it ‘serves the community’ is a gross overstatement, but I hope it can offer the chance to see negative things in a humorous light and bring an assurance that we’re all in this together.”
‘A Gift of Life’
Steve Doben appeared at the conference in a taped interview with Smedley because a change in the original date of the conference conflicted with his being out of the country. Doben’s giving back was the gift of life to his dad, who, in his 60s, needed a new kidney. His immediate response to his father’s question of whether he would donate a kidney to him was an enthusiastic assent. But then the reality of all that would mean hit him, and he struggled with the ways in which his decision would impact his and his family’s lives. His wife was supportive, and Doben went through 14 months of physical and psychological testing to prepare him for the surgery.
He and his father joke now that first Steve’s dad was part of him, and now Steve is part of his dad. Asked what advice he would give someone asked to make the same gift he did, Doben said it’s different for everyone. “People have to make sure it’s right for them.”
‘Giving Back Through Community Policing’
Detective Daniele Fortunato—in her uniform and with “comfort dog” Dusty—talked about how she is giving back through community policing. The program, which develops strategies for connecting with the community, has evolved as society has changed, but the core principles of communication, respect, and integrity have remained constant. She said that in the ’60s, community policing meant quelling protests and dealing with the mentally ill after the closure of institutions for them. Today it means dealing with kids with autism, domestic violence, and mental health. Having displayed integrity over her 16 years in Harvard, Fortunato has proactively sought an increasing role in the school community. She teaches a personal safety for women course at Bromfield and is a reassuring presence in the elementary school, often reading to kindergarteners. Recently she took the initiative to apply for an assistance dog and raised funds for the dog’s training herself. The addition of Dusty to the force is an extension of community policing.
‘My Personal Journey Through Volunteering’
Bill Johnson left an important position in the business world to devote his time to volunteerism—so far, an extraordinary 21 years of it. The range of his contributions is far-reaching. As a member of the Bare Hill Watershed Management Committee, he, along with 50 other men and women over a two-year period, built a state-of-the-art pumping station to draw down water from Bare Hill Pond and control weed growth. He headed up the building of a facility for Harvard Cable TV and introduced a video enrichment program at Bromfield. Four years ago he joined the Harvard Lions Club and in that time has initiated a number of construction projects, among them a playground at Transitions in Devens and a climbing wall at the Perkins Institute in Lancaster.
The program from which he derives the most personal fulfillment is in teaching adaptive skiing and snowboarding at the Cotting School, part of the New England Healing Sports Association. It was teaching a young man, paralyzed from the chest down in an attempted suicide, how to control an adapted sled and regain his confidence that has been the highlight of Johnson’s work. “Volunteering has been more fulfilling than any compensation from my job ever was,” he said.
‘Giving Back in High School’
Brooke Caroom, a junior at Bromfield is—spoiler alert—next year’s host of HHC2. She said that as a teenager, it may seem impossible to volunteer, but there are many opportunities. There are listings on the volunteer bulletin board at the school: the Giving Tree, set up by Bromfield Cares; and Loaves & Fishes drives. Arm in Arm offers opportunities to further diversity and inclusion, one example being a multicultural dance. Students in the National Honor Society perform four hours of community service each quarter. Caroom talked about her recent National Honor Society service project of decorating Hildreth House for Valentine’s Day and making cards for seniors. And there is the community service requirement for graduation, which students can now begin the summer following sophomore year. Giving back can be done through random acts of kindness, she said, such as paying someone a compliment. “We play a giving role in the community, even though we don’t realize it,” Caroom said.
Smedley ended the day by thanking everyone and saying, “I hope these stories have served to remind you of all the good that is being done. I encourage you all to find your own unique means of adding to the world.”
