NORWICH – The parking lot of Follett Hall at the SUNY Morrisville Norwich Campus took on a carnival-like setting last Thursday as students in the school’s Human Services Organization (HSO) hosted the first of what they hope to be several fundraisers to make a positive impact in one of the country’s most desolate cities.

Proceeds raised during the event will go toward the organization’s annual springtime trip to Camden, N.J. to offer a helping hand at different charitable organizations in the city of 77,000 people – 36 percent of who live at or below the national poverty level according to the US Census Bureau.

A number of game booths were set up and manned by HSO members during the day. Morrisville students, faculty, staff and other members of the community were invited to try their hand at a number of pastime carnival favorites including “duck pond” and, the big attraction, a dunking booth with volunteer staff and faculty taking the plunge for a good cause.

“We plan to make the trip (to Camden) every year. Our goal is to raise enough money to get back there again this year,” explained HSO member Samantha Carroll, noting the number of homeless and hungry residents living in the city. “It’s the city with the highest poverty rate in the country. You think you know poverty already, and then you go to a place like Camden and your ideas change. It’s nice to be able to go and help them.”