Making a difference: from concerts to campus

Calling All Crows volunteer Daniel McCarty reached out at last year's Chadwick Stokes show in Philadelphia and offered to share his story about how he first got involved with CAC and why he's kept that spirit close.

The first time I was involved with Calling All Crows was during my first semester of college in the fall of 2011. Chadwick Stokes was on his first solo tour promoting his album Simmerkane II and his band was playing just one hour away at The Chameleon Club in Lancaster, PA. About a month before the concert I stumbled upon a Facebook post mentioning a service project in Harrisburg on the same day. I always knew community service and activism were an important part of DISPATCH and State Radio, but I never had the chance to participate. Seeing this as a great opportunity to meet the band and help out, I signed my sister and myself up for the project, not really knowing what to expect. 

The project in Harrisburg was for an organization called Dress for Success. Dress for Success helps enable disadvantaged women to succeed in the professional world by providing necessities for economic independence. This was the first service project I was ever involved in. I had no idea of the impact Calling all Crows was going to have on my life. During our time there we sorted clothes into boxes, painted, swept and cleaned the outside, and carried heavy boxes from one location to another. We spent the morning and afternoon helping with whatever Dress for Success needed finished that day. Upon completion of the project, I felt we had actually made a difference and helped relieve the stress of petty everyday tasks that the organization now didn’t have to worry about. Although it was awesome to meet the band, I remember thinking to myself at that moment: Why have I never done this before? After that experience, I realized I needed to be proactive about helping my community and those in need.  

Since then I have taken advantage of as many Calling all Crows service opportunities as possible. From Hurricane Sandy relief to volunteering at organizations such as Dress for Success and Cradles to Crayons, it has given me unforgettable experiences and introduced me to so many amazing people whom I can call my friends. Above all else, it has inspired me to do more. In the fall of 2013 I started attending Temple University and joined Sigma Alpha Mu, an IFC fraternity on campus. I was quickly elected to the community service chair position after expressing my passionate interest for hands-on service and activism. In the past year and a half I have scheduled over 24 community service events for our members. We have volunteered at non-profit organizations such as Philabundance, Broad Street Ministry, Jewish Relief Agency, the YMCA, Cradles to Crayons, Clean Ocean Action and more. We also frequently perform block clean ups in our neighborhood of North Philadelphia. As well as service, we participate in fundraisers such as Hootathon, Relay for Life, and The Judy Fund. We also try to encourage other fraternities and organizations on campus to do the same.

Calling all Crows provided me with the inspiration and motivation to do service and proved how powerful music can be when musicians and fans come together. I not only gained life experience and friends, but integrity and compassion. Fans who are initially engaged by their passion for music are encouraged to join in and create change with this truly unique organization. I look forward to increasing my involvement with Calling all Crows and making a difference in my community one project at a time.