They say every dog will have his day. On Friday, October 24th, a friendly Irish setter named Patrick had his at Camden Elementary School. A bronze statue of Patrick was formally welcomed to its perch outside of the school’s main entrance in a special ceremony as family, friends, staff, and students looked on.
Patrick was a community fixture across the Village of Camden in the 1970s. From Forest Park, to the CES schoolyard near his home - and everywhere in between, his cheerful disposition brightened days and offered a sense of safety to all under his watch. He also never met an ice cream cone he didn’t like, and turned up frequently at the General Store in search of a treat.
For everyone and everything Patrick loved, his owner - Mrs. Eileen Wolcott - is who he loved most. And the feeling was mutual. Like Patrick, Eileen had a radiant and memorable personality all her own, and her grandchildren wanted to honor her legacy with a sculpture of her beloved four-legged friend.
Whether it was her work covering Western Oneida County as a journalist and columnist for the Rome Sentinel, helping older adults as Senior Programs Director at the Rome Family YMCA, or through her “Ages Together” program for students and seniors, Wolcott was a builder of community, a connector of generations, and a person who left an impression on each person she encountered. A 1942 graduate of Camden High School, she also had an enduring love of her hometown - where she raised seven children that all attended Camden Elementary and Camden High School.
In recognition of her work with older adults, then-Oneida County Executive Ray Meier declared May 16th, 1995 as “Eileen Wolcott Day” in the county. She passed away in 2022 at the remarkable age of 98 - leaving behind nearly a hundred years of tremendous service to her community.
Patrick was sculpted in Eileen’s honor by Bill Wolff ‘90. Wolff is a world class sculpture artist and one of Wolcott’s nine grandchildren. He is currently an Associate Professor of Sculpture at Salisbury University in Maryland, where he serves as Art Department chair. He personally spent approximately 180 hours making the family’s vision a reality.
DNC Landscaping generously donated their services to make improvements around the sculpture. Adjacent trees and benches were donated by the Camden Elementary PTO to complete the updated space.
The Friday morning ceremony illuminated the contributions of Eileen and Patrick in a deeply personal and moving way.
Grandson Chris Ceglia gave an overview of his grandmother’s life. Granddaughter Alison (Stewart) Cuchiarale, formerly a music teacher at Camden High School, did a reading about the introduction of Patrick to her grandmother’s home, as written in Wolcott’s celebrated column “Among Friends”. Grandson Bill Wolff ‘90, the sculptor of Patrick, also stepped to the podium to offer his gratitude.
The program concluded with Wolcott’s oldest grandson, Rick Stewart, who regaled the audience with tales of Patrick at Forest Park, and the dog’s uncanny ability to pull off an ice cream heist without a moment’s notice. What Stewart may remember most is the reassurance Patrick’s presence offered, and he expressed hope that will continue for a new generation.
“When I was your age, I would come up to Camden and see Grinny and Patrick was like my buddy,” he said. “He would take me around town and we would go all over the place. He was our little guidance dog, and every day you’re gonna have that dog to look at when you come to school. Thank you for welcoming Patrick and our family to your school.”
The event concluded with a mini ice cream social hosted by Camden native and retired CES nurse Leslie Williams, along with volunteers and CES alumni Raina and Lilly Ellis and Katherine Graham. Treats were donated by Mike and Bev Bormann, and “Leslie’s Laundry”, a nonprofit founded by Williams to provide clothing to children in need. Williams also established a children’s gardening club during her time as a school nurse. They planted a permanent garden that beautifies the entrance area adjacent to the new sculpture.
In closing, Principal Amanda Mitchell noted that the sculpture has been received warmly so far, and noted her own kids often visit Patrick on the way into school.
“Thank you to the entire Wolcott family for this incredibly generous gift to our school and our community,” Mitchell said. “This is a lasting gift to the school, and stands as an enduring tribute to the person that loved him most of all.”
