Eastmans: Angels At St. Mary’s

3-05-10

They Helped Build School, Never Left, Win ‘Partner’ Honor

By LAURA COX

Michelle and Rick Eastman have never liked the limelight.
They’ve operated Eastman Associates, general contractors headquartered on Railroad Avenue, where they work as a team with their 30 employees.  They’ve managed their family and raised three children.  They never sought recognition for how they spent their time and money.
But three weeks ago, Michelle and Rick received a phone call from St. Mary’s School asking both of them to come down to the school to chat. They had no inkling of what was about to transpire.
The St. Mary’s School marketing committee had voted them the 2010 Distinguished Partners in Education and will host a dinner to honor them on Saturday, March 20 at the school. Cocktail hour will start at 6:30 p.m. with a buffet dinner to follow at their “Evening in Paris.”
“Our first reaction was to turn it down,” said Rick.  “But they said there was no way they would let us get away with that. We do things because it is the right thing to do, to help the community, the school, the kids; not to receive recognition.”
The Eastmans have been in the headlines recently when their company removed the old aluminum façade from the front of Bresee’s Department Store in November.  Hundreds watched.
But it was their work on St. Mary’s School and continued friendship to the school that brought their names to the minds of the nominating committee, said St. Mary’s Principal Patty Bliss.
It was Eastman Associates that in 2000-2001 transformed the former Price Chopper building into the St. Mary’s School you see today. Accounts from school employees talk about the thought and consideration the Eastmans put into their work, and their willingness to talk about the new school and give tours to anyone interested.
“They took a special interest. It was not just a building to them, but a new home for the school, for the children, and they took extra care with what they did,” Bliss said. Though she was not principal at the time, she has heard many accounts from others at the school, and has seen firsthand their continued care for the building.
“They come to all of our events and support us in every way,” Bliss said, “Not just financially but through their interest and encouragement.”
Michelle and their three children, Nathan, 18, Candace, 23 and Jennifer, 27, are all members of the Catholic church.
Michelle and Rick have led their lives in the way they have to set examples of service to community for their children. While the girls do not live locally anymore, while growing up in Oneonta they both donated their time in the form of teaching Sunday school, as well as time helping out at Saturday’s Bread.  Nathan has also been involved in many volunteer activities through the high school and is currently very involved with the S.A.D.D. club when he is not on the court playing basketball or on the field playing baseball for OHS.
“We like to encourage our kids to do something where you are not getting anything in return, without any recognition for it,” Michelle Eastman said.
The Eastmans have a personal connection to St. Mary’s school.  Nathan attended grades K-4 there, and The Eastmans have found the teachers and staff wonderful.
“It’s a great school with wonderful teachers and a beautiful building. It’s really easy to help them,” Rick said.