GOTO Scholarship Reception

On Saturday May 19th, GOTO volunteers joined the Scholarship Committee in honoring our new and returning scholars of 2012. The mix and mingle was informal and held during lunch at Little Town Restaurant in Gramercy. While new students and parents were shy at the beginning of the event, returning parents and students reached out to them talking about everything from prior camp experiences for their returning student and how they were able to cope with their child being away for a month. The parents ended up conversing together while the students congregated at a separate table to get to know each other. It was a natural dynamic and a great chance for those that attended from GOTO to see parental and children bonds form in front of us.

 Stay tuned for more information as we plan for our annual GOTO camp visit this Summer.

 

GOTO Volunteer Profile: Catherine Holahan

1) How did you first hear about GOTO?
Like most GOTO members, I heard about it from a friend. The former marketing chair, Christine Pecorella and I are friends and had been in the same a cappella group in Princeton.

2. What are your roles as a GOTO volunteer?
Marketing co-chair

3. How would you describe GOTO to a friend?
It's an all-volunteer run charity made up of really nice, young professionals in New York who donate their time to make a difference in kids lives. And we do make a difference. You should hear what the kids and their parents say after attending camp. They talk about being changed, having a new method of self-expression and self-confidence, getting experience that they would never have had the opportunity to gain in school.

4. What is your favorite GOTO moment so far?
Hard to pick just one. Partying with friends at the last gala, and the annual meeting a couple years ago in which one father said that his son's school had cut all the programs relating to creativity and that, without them, his son had stopped enjoying school as much. GOTO and Appel Farm had changed that by restoring his arts experience.

5. Where do you see GOTO 20 years from now?
I see GOTO having chapters all over the U.S., helping young people give back to their communities and kids retain a vital avenue for creativity and self-expression.

BONUS QUESTION: If GOTO sent you to Arts & Music Summer Camp, what would be your major?
My major would be vocal music. I was never any good at sports. Without music, I wouldn't have had the extracurricular activities that gave me so much joy and confidence, not to mention helped me get into college.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! 2012 is here and that means more opportunities for GOTO to give back to our community. Check out how we've been helping underprivileged youths for the last decade and how you can help too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V72gwMzLgvQ