Warm Up for Wickwire at Brix

02/26/2014 

Students in a SUNY Cortland communication studies class are developing their citizenship skills while saving an important part of the Cortland community, the Wickwire Pool.

They’ll host a “Dine to Donate” event Tuesday, March 4, at 5 p.m., at Brix Pubaria at 60 Main St., to support their “Warm Up for Wickwire” project. Anyone can attend and donate 10 percent of their bill to the Wickwire fund.

Opened at Suggett Park in 1946 as a gift from former industrialist Charles Wickwire, the Wickwire Pool was closed in 2010. The landmark is at risk of being shut down permanently, unless close to $1 million can be raised for repairs.

Professor Caroline Kaltefleiter’s students have been hard at work since spring 2012 to make this dream a reality, with many groups in her classes organizing different fundraising events.

Between donations from individuals, local groups and government officials as well as class members, the two-year drive has raised nearly enough to meet its goal this spring.

But raising money for the community staple isn’t the only motivation behind this event.

Wickwire Pool as it appeared in its early days, as popular a method of summer recreation among Cortland youth as it has been in more recent years.

“People should come to the Brix event because not only does it give students a chance to contribute to a project involving the community, but it raises awareness about why this pool is not just a pool to the people of Cortland,” said junior Jocelyn Almodovar of Lincolndale, N.Y., one of several communication studies majors working on the “Warm Up for Wickwire” project.

According to information gathered by Kaltefleiter’s class in the past, Cortland County is among the poorest in New York state and during the summer, the pool has provided free lunches to children of the community. For some children, it’s the only meal they will receive for the day. Wickwire also provides a safe environment where children can find an alternative to getting into trouble.

“By coming to Brix and participating in this event, people can help bring back the summer fun and a safe environment for the children,” said Sheena Driscoll, a senior from Whitney Point, N.Y.

Over the duration of this fundraiser, a bond between the SUNY Cortland students and the Cortland community has been formed.

“The Wickwire project has been a great way for us students to truly get in touch and repay the community around us,” said Corey Neuss, from Manlius, N.Y. “We are very close to achieving our goal of paying for the restoration of this classical feature of Cortland.

“We hope that ‘Warm Up for Wickwire’ will continue to get us closer to our monetary goal.”

For more information, visit www.wickwirepoolproject.com.