Erin Clarke is the newest development associate at ROCA,
coming from Newtown, CT where she was occasionally a
substitute teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
When Erin Clarke left her Newtown, CT home in December to begin a new position at ROCA in Chelsea, she could not have anticipated the tragedy that would mark her departure from her hometown.
The newest ROCA Redevelopment Associate, who is also serving as chief planner for next week’s Breakfast Fundraiser in South Boston, had been listed as a possible substitute teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary on Dec. 14 — the day Adam Lanza entered the school and killed numerous children and faculty members.
Throughout her time in Newtown, Clarke attended the local schools and worked as a substitute teacher across the district, including at Sandy Hook Elementary. Dec. 14th marked her final day available for substitute work before starting at ROCA on Dec. 17.
On that fateful morning, no teachers called in sick, which meant Clarke was not summoned to work. This circumstance may have saved her life.
“http://chelseamass.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/cdddC18-150×150.jpg” Clarke explained: “That day was actually my last day on the clock for Newtown Schools before I left to start working at ROCA on Dec. 17. I could have potentially been called in that day. The way it happened was I didn’t get a call that morning, so I went to my other job instead. I got a text from a friend of mine who knew that I subbed at that school. She wanted to know if I was alright. That’s when I learned what happened. My very first thought was that I very easily could have been called in to Sandy Hook that day. It definitely put things in perspective.”
Though Clarke did not attend Sandy Hook Elementary herself, the violence that struck her hometown and former workplace weighed heavily on her as she relocated to Boston. She grew up in Newtown and was deeply connected to the community.
“It was really hard to leave amidst all that,” Clarke said. “As hard as the whole situation was, there was a certain level of comfort being in my community to help deal with it. Coming to Boston that Sunday really was hard. When I got here, though, I was able to stay with some friends from Newtown and we all banded together. That helped a lot.”
Her new boss, Molly Baldwin, and her colleagues at ROCA demonstrated understanding on her first day of work, allowing her space to process the tragedy. Clarke found herself in a period of deep reflection.
“It kind of makes you think and re-think everything,” she reflected. “That day wasn’t any different than any other day in Newtown. It was so unexpected, especially because you don’t expect anything like that to happen in a small town like Newtown. It changes how you see life and how quickly things can change and how little control we have over the day-to-day occurrences.”
Drawing on her organizational skills, Clarke channeled her energy into planning. Working with friends from Newtown, she quickly organized a fundraiser at Fenway Park titled “Love is Louder than Violence: A Night for Newtown.” The event attracted significant attention, with Gov. Deval Patrick, Boston Mayor Tom Menino, and House Speaker Bob DeLeo in attendance. All proceeds benefited Newtown’s recovery efforts.
Simultaneously, Clarke took the lead in organizing ROCA’s annual breakfast fundraiser, scheduled for Monday, April 22, at the Seaport Hotel on South Boston’s Waterfront. The event will celebrate the 25th Anniversary of ROCA’s commitment to anti-violence work and support for at-risk youth.
“fblikebutton_button” Clarke noted: “What we do here at ROCA is similar to what we were stressing with our Newtown efforts, an anti-violence message. It definitely is working on a similar theme.”
A notable feature of this year’s breakfast involves placing one youth from ROCA’s programs at each table to share their personal story with guests. Clarke believes this direct engagement will effectively demonstrate ROCA’s impact and mission.
The breakfast has already generated nearly $400,000 in fundraising, making it the most successful event in ROCA’s 25-year history. Much of this achievement is being attributed to Clarke’s contributions since her arrival.
“wp-caption alignright” John Ward of ROCA stated: “In the development department here, things move rapidly, but Erin has been a great anchor to help us stay focused. That’s been critical for us because we’re moving so fast and growing so rapidly. She is great at slowing people down and making sure the fundamentals are in place. She’s been a great addition.”