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| By Michelle Symington Staff Writer WESTFIELD When the news about the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina hit local news stations, members of the entire Westfield State College (WSC) community came together to raise money for the victims of the disaster. Through a variety of events hosted by a number of organizations on campus, the college raised a total of $5,332.25 for the American Red Cross Hurricane Relief effort. The funds raised by each organization on campus were placed in the college's Katrina Relief Fund, which was then turned over to the Red Cross. Members of the WSC community presented Richard Rubin, executive director of the American Red Cross of Greater Westfield, with the donation last Wednesday. Rubin explained that the college's donation will go toward food, clothing, shelter, medicine and mental health counseling for Katrina victims. "The money will be used for years to come," he said. Each time he was in contact with WSC representatives, Rubin said he was told that the college was not ready to donate the money because the college community had more fund-raising events planned. The college's donation was the largest donation from Westfield received by the American Red Cross of Greater Westfield, according to Rubin. The donation from the college helped the Red Cross of Greater Westfield reach the $200,000 mark in funds raised for hurricane victims. Rubin said he believes the amount of support for the victims had a lot do do with how long the disaster was covered on television. He said many children emptied out their piggy banks to donate to the Red Cross, which the parents would then match to make a larger donation. He added that the the local Red Cross Chapter sent 29 volunteers to five states affected by Katrina. Jacqueline Sheehan, director of the WSC Counseling Center; Philip Hotchkiss, associate professor of Mathematics; and Catherine Lilly, retired dean of Graduate and Continuing Education at WSC, were three of the volunteers who participated in the Red Cross onsite disaster relief teams. "It was an eye-opener to go down there and see what they all [saw]," he said, adding that 29 volunteers spent a minimum of two weeks in Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Texas. "A lot of children lost parents and a lot of parents lost children," he said. Rubin told the members of the WSC community who presented him with the check that he is "very appreciative of all the student participation in so many different events they did" at the college. He said that he will now send the money down to where it is needed. "It will have a major impact on many lives," Rubin said. "The college should be proud of its accomplishment." According Rubin, the American Red Cross has reached its $2 billion goal to help Katrina victims and the focus of fund-raising will now return to the local chapters across the country. The Student Government Association was one of the college's organizations that helped raise funds for the Red Cross. Matt Curren, president of the Student Government Association, explained that he and the 60 members of the Association hosted a variety of fund-raisers since Katrina hit the South. A late night pancake breakfast attracted about 350 students. Curren said Student Government members decided to host a pancake breakfast at 11 p.m. one evening that would cost $2 per person. "It was awesome," he said, adding that the breakfast raised $700. Curren and other Student Government members also went door to door in the residence halls on campus soliciting donation from the students. He said the door-to-door campaign raised $1,300, bringing the total donation from the Student Government Association to $2,000. Curren said the hurricane was "a natural disaster that hit close to home for people." "It felt right to get involved with the Red Cross," he said. "It is good that it came from the students." Colin Drury, vice president of the Student Government Association, said that working together as a whole was good for the school. He added that some students were able to give $1 or a quarter and some were able to donate $100 or more. In addition to raising funds for the Red Cross, Curren said the Student Government Association used $500 to purchase a gift card for a student from Louisiana who came to the college from Loyola University in New Orleans, after the hurricane. The Department of Residential Life at the college also raised some of the money that was presented to the Red Cross last week. This year, the Department chose to donate all of the proceeds from its annual Haunted House and Fun Stop to the Red Cross Hurricane Relief effort. Dawn Whitehill, an accountant for the Department of Residential Life, said that the Department chooses a different charity to donate the proceeds to each year. The admission to the event was $2. The event, which took place Oct. 26 at Juniper Park Elementary School, raised $1,174.40. Whitehill said this was the most money the annual event has ever raised in one year. Whitehill said that the Department of Residential Life worked as a team to make the event possible. Dan Bennington, a residence director in Davis Hall, said that it "feels great that we can help out in some way, shape or form." Funds were also collected for the college's Katrina Relief Fund during the "Teach In, Reach Out" week in September, which included events such as the "Cash Cruiser for Katrina Relief" event sponsored by Campus Police. Collections for the college's effort also took place during sports events, family events and interfaith services. |