The Buffalo State Community Academic Center and the Institute for Community Health Promotion will sponsor the fourth annual Peace, Love & Grant Street celebration on Thursday, December 1, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Stop by the CAC at 214 Grant Street to help make welcome kits for newcomer refugee youth. Then explore our shops, restaurants, pop-up marketplace, food trucks, and holiday activities. For more information or to RSVP, please visit the Peace, Love & Grant Street Facebook event page.

The Empire Plan, BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York, and Independent Health representatives will be on campus to answers questions about our health insurance plans and coverage changes in 2017 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 8, in Butler Library 210.

Staff members from the Employee Benefits Office will also be present to assist employees in making changes to health insurance coverage.

In addition to health insurance material, you will find dental and vision benefit information. Attendees can have their blood pressure and cholesterol checked; find out their body mass and pulse index, learn the benefits of and sample massage therapy, and consult with specialists on smoking cessation and weight loss—all free of charge!

Meet our EAP coordinators and obtain helpful information regarding our Employee Assistance Program. Call Human Resource Management at 878-2421 with any questions you may have and please stop by our Benefits Fair on December 8!

Attention shoppers! SUNY Perks at Work (also known as SUNY Perks) is holding its Annual Holiday Savings Fair from November 29 through December 30. The fair features a series of three-day windows during which employees can shop within a specific category (e.g., toys, apparel, electronics) for special offers.

If you are registered with SUNY Perks you may have received announcements about this special event; if you are not registered, this is a great time to sign up. To register, simply go to http://perksatwork.com, click on “Account Setup,” register using access code “SUNY2015” and start saving!

Also, remember that employee discounts are available to you via, SUNY PerksCard/PerksConnect, Plum Benefits, My Better Benefits (offering 20 percent off stays at Wyndham and Choice Hotels and discounted tickets to the Harlem Globetrotters), and our own SUNY Discount Program. Some of the most recent program additions to the latter are discounts at several Florida resorts, MightySkins, Alan David Custom Suits, and StubZero.

Take advantage of the holiday savings and enjoy shopping!

The Buffalo State College Literacy Center, Bacon Hall 227, is offering free one-on-one literacy tutoring (strategy instruction) for children (grades K–12) of Buffalo State students, faculty, and staff. Sessions are on Mondays or Tuesdays from 5:00 to 6:45 p.m. There are nine sessions and one parent conference. Sessions begin in February. Please e-mail Keli Garas-York, associate professor of elementary education and reading, to register.

Please join us in the Barnes & Noble at Buffalo State Bookstore for our annual Holiday Sale and Open House on Thursday, December 1. Save 25 percent on all clothing, gifts, and general reading books, and enjoy refreshments and music throughout the day.

The Exceptional Education Department, Buffalo State Best Buddies, and the Student Council for Exceptional Children invite you to join our 10th annual team, the Buffalo State Orange Crushers, to help us raise money for New York Special Olympics. This year's Polar Plunge will be held at Woodlawn Beach State Park, 3580 Lakeshore Road, Blasdell, on Saturday, December 3.

It's a wild, crazy, fun event and a great way to show your Buffalo State colors! Anyone can register for our team, so bring your friends and relatives to help us reach our goal of 50 plungers and $3,000 in donations. We have won the College Team Award for fundraising for the past three years, but right now, we are behind another school team. You can help us continue our winning tradition.

Free busing is available for those who plan to attend the event. We will gather on December 3 in the parking area in front of Cleveland Hall at 11:30 a.m. and leave for the plunge at noon. We will return after the plunge at about 3:00 p.m. Reservations and travel forms are required if you plan to ride the bus. For reservations or information, please contact bestbuddiesbsc@gmail.com.

Register for or donate to the Buffalo State Orange Crushers.

We look forward to showing our Buffalo State commitment to our community by "Freezin' for a Reason." Thank you for your support!

Throughout the month of November, there are days dedicated to giving thanks. National Philanthropy Day (November 10), Thanksgiving (November 24), and Giving Tuesday (November 29) are just a few. Through these days, we are able to give thanks and celebrate the generosity of others.

In celebrating this thought, Buffalo State’s Student Philanthropy Council created a video to thank our donors for the time and money they have contributed to the college. These contributions allow students to follow their dreams and assemble the building blocks of their future. Thanks to our donors, students can discover who they want to be, as well as determine the path to travel down in life.

Buffalo State exceeded its SEFA/United Way goal for 2017, raising $106,452. Congratulations to the following faculty and staff members who won the Buffalo State SEFA prizes. Prizes are available for pickup in Cleveland Hall 210.

1. Two tickets to the Scholarship Gala: Jacquelyn Rankin, Secretary 1, Political Science

2. NFL Football signed by #70 Eric Wood: James Hamm, Professor, Art Conservation

3. NFL Football signed by #14 Sammy Watkins: Arlene Agen, Payroll Examiner 1, Payroll Office

4. Cleat signed by #85 Charles Clay: Laurie Graziano, Secretary 2, President’s Office

5. Fitness Center Membership: Yanick Jenkins, Director, Educational Opportunity Program

6. $100 Barnes & Noble Gift Card: Kaylene Waite, Graphic Design/Production Specialist, RITE Services

7. Reserved Parking Space: Jeanine Moyer, Programmer/Analyst, RITE Services

8. Provost Parking Space on Mondays: Steven Buscaglia, Officer 1, University Police

Enjoy an all-you-care-to-eat meal in the Resident Dining Hall on Wednesday, November 23, for just $5 all day long. We hope to see you there.

Winterim will be held January 9–13, 2017, and is a great opportunity to connect with colleagues and learn from one another. Winterim is the period between the fall and spring semesters when a variety of activities are held to support the intellectual, personal, and professional growth of faculty, staff, and students. If you have a skill or talent you would like to share with the campus community, please fill out the Winterim Session Submission Form by November 25.