Friday Feature | Stu Blitz and ACES Transportation

Friday, December 1, 2023

Clang, clang, clang goes the trolley and ho, ho, ho goes Santa Blue!

There is much to be grateful for this holiday season…. especially if it is warm and festive. I couldn't think of anyone who is warmer and more festive than Stuart (Stu) Blitz, ACES transportation manager, and our whole ACES team, who have worked hard to add a cozy new addition to our transportation fleet.

A few weeks back, I received an email from Stu to tell me about a great new addition to our Alfred State bus garage. It’s a beautiful trolley that stands apart from all our other buses and can be used for transporting students and visitors around campus for special events throughout the year. 

It’s just fun riding in a trolley! Be sure to ask the driver to ring the bell when you climb onboard.

In the new year, the trolley will be getting a makeover to don our Pioneer Blue and Gold colors and I am very excited to see the fun Pioneer spirit that it will spread as it tours campus and the community. For now, it is decked out in traditional trolley colors of red and green that are perfect for this season.

I took my first trip on the trolley when filming a video for the college’s holiday greetings. The trolley took us from the Student Leadership Center to our new college seal in front of Hinkle Bell Tower. 

What a great photo spot that we’ve added during the 50-year celebration of our iconic Bell Tower. This magnificent addition to our landscape was brought forward through planning by the Beautification Committee and made possible through the efforts of Russ Nunley, Jon Nickerson, and their teams. Thank you to co-chairs of the Beautification Committee Spencer Peavey and Bob Haley.

I hope you have an opportunity to take a picture or two with the bold blue and gold college seal. While the bell tower is celebrating 50 years, the perennial first lady of Alfred State, Mary Huntington who turned 100 this year, was with us to take a photo with Big Blue too. Stop by and see the beautiful new sign and bring your cell phone for a selfie like I did with my family!