SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Vera House Foundation has selected Calvin Corriders, regional president of the Syracuse market for Oswego–based Pathfinder Bank, as the honorary chair of its 25th annual White Ribbon Campaign.
The campaign, covering the entire month of March, seeks to raise awareness about domestic and sexual violence and raise funding for Vera House’s programs and services, according to a Vera House news release.
The organization on Wednesday announced Corriders as the honorary chair at the Pathfinder Bank branch at 109 W. Fayette St. in Syracuse.
“As someone who knows the adverse effects of sexual and domestic violence and how it can have an effect on a person, a family, a community, I’m honored and flattered to be the honorary chair here today and my hope that we will continue to work together to ensure that his community is eventually free of sexual and domestic violence,” Corriders said in speaking to the gathering.
Corriders noted that he will expand on his thoughts in his role as the keynote speaker at the breakfast event to formally launch this year’s White Ribbon Campaign. The event is set for 7:30 a.m. on March 1 at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown, the former Hotel Syracuse.
James Branche, Vera House board member and the White Ribbon Campaign co-chair, said it is the “world’s largest movement” of men and boys to end violence against women and girls.
“It’s a movement that promotes gender equality, healthy relationships, and a new vision of masculinity. Wearing a white ribbon is a person’s statement to never support, commit, or remain silent about abuse … We have maintained the important element of male leadership while expanding participation to include everyone in the community interested in helping us achieve our vision of creating a world free of violence and abuse,” Branche said in remarks at the announcement.
The sponsors for the annual White Ribbon Campaign include New York City–based JP Morgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM); Cleveland, Ohio–based KeyBank (NYSE: KEY); Kinney Drugs Foundation; Buffalo–based M&T Bank (NYSE: MTB), Barclay Damon LLP; Bousquet Holstein PLLC, New York City–based Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (NYSE: BMY), DeWitt–based Community Bank, N.A. (NYSE: CBU); Empower Federal Credit Union; Excellus BlueCross BlueShield; Hancock Estabrook, LLP; King + King Architects; Nascentia Health; Onondaga Community College; Pathfinder Bank; Syracuse University; and Wegmans.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com
