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CoSIDA Goodwill & Wellness Committee
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Communicators Outside the Lines Feature Series
This is the next profile Q and A in a series entitled
Communicators Outside the Lines: Better Yourself, Better Your Community produced by the CoSIDA Goodwill & Wellness Committee. Read past profiles at
CoSIDA.com/CommunicatorsOTL.
HAVE IDEAS OR MEMBERS TO NOMINATE FOR THIS SERIES?
If you have any ideas for this series, which will revolve around CoSIDA member volunteerism and health and wellness, please contact Goodwill and Wellness Committee chair
Chris Mitchell, Washington University in St. Louis Assistant AD for Communications, at (618) 560-9280 or
mitchell@wustl.edu.
Bill Steinman enjoying his new motorized wheelchair.
Q&A with Jeff Bernstein
Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information, NYU
by Liz Wacienga, Director of Athletic Communications, Kentucky Wesleyan
CoSIDA Goodwill & Wellness Committee
Jeff Bernstein has been at New York University since 1999. This past year, a close friend and former SID could not afford a motorized wheelchair. After hearing the horrible news, Bernstein rallied up SIDs from across the nation to raise the necessary funds. Read below to find out more about this story.
Q. In the summer of 2017, you led a fundraiser for Bill Steinman, a longtime SID at Columbia. Why did you feel it was important to do this? When did you find out he was in need of a wheelchair?
BERNSTEIN: Bill was the long-time SID at Columbia. Our paths crossed many, many times over the years. We spent time together at many CoSIDA Conventions. I called Bill in June to talk about a fencing project I was working on. He knows a lot about the sport, and it gave me a chance to speak with an old friend. When the conversation got around to his health, and he told me he was virtually apartment-bound because he was unable to stand for more than 30 seconds at a time and that the only way he got out was when someone was there to push him around in his old, outdated wheelchair, well, the thought of that made me sick. When I asked why he didn’t get a motorized wheelchair so he could come and go on his own, he said he couldn’t afford it. I then made it my business to get him one.
Q. How did you go about setting up this fundraiser, and then getting the wheelchair to Bill?
BERNSTEIN: At first, I thought I could get assistance from Columbia, from people he had worked with to help me seek out donors for the cost of the chair. Regrettably, due to institutional policy, that route could not be taken. I researched “donation” websites (such as GoFundMe), but chose to go with Venmo. I started to get the word out about Bill’s situation to our professional organizations (CoSIDA, ECAC-SIDA, etc.) and to individuals who knew Bill, worked with him, etc. A key person who helped me was Mike Mahoney of U. Penn, since he had great connections within the Ivy League. Eventually, through the kindness of so many people, I was able to accumulate the nearly $4,000 that was needed. I had Bill meet me at a location in Manhattan that sold wheelchairs, we looked at some and eventually made the purchase.
Q. There’s no doubt that the SID community came together during this time of need for Bill. What does this say to you about the SID community?
BERNSTEIN: It says everything. It’s heartwarming enough to have people and organizations lend a hand in this pursuit. But, when people who didn’t even know Bill come through just because I asked and just because they wanted to help someone else who had been in the profession, well, that just made this endeavor even more rewarding.
Q. What community initiatives are you involved with when you’re not in the office?
BERNSTEIN: I, along with my son Ben and sometimes my wife Jennifer, go to a local PETCO once a week and help care for orphaned cats who are housed there. We clean their living areas, feed them, play with them, and hopefully prepare them to be adopted. On a more “fun” note, I also volunteer as a flag football coach and probably love that more than anything else I do all year.
Q. What tips do you have for anyone that wants to get involved in their own community?
BERNSTEIN: I can only say that I know how busy we all are and how tough it is to find time for community activities. However, if you give something a try and you like it, it is no longer a “chore”. It is something you’re happy to do and it enhances your life. Doing anything for others should make someone feel happy. You just need to get started and find what’s right for you.
Q. You’re in arguably the busiest city in the USA (New York City). How do you find time to take a break? What helps you maintain a work-life balance?
BERNSTEIN: I have petitioned New York City Hall to extend every day to 28 hours. So far, they have not responded to my wishes. Oh well, you can’t fight City Hall….On a serious note, you just have to make the time. You MUST find things to do FOR YOURSELF. I still stay active in competitive sports. That make me happy. I also go for massages occasionally. That makes me happy. Yes, I still have to put in time at work and at home, but it’s still important for me to take care of me, otherwise those other things won’t get the best of me.
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