2008 Woodie Awards
A Hurricane of Relief
Early Campus Activity Marked By Creativity
Mark Fuller
Issue date: 9/9/05 Section: News
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Between airy classrooms, noisy bars and sunny afternoons on the quad, it's easy to forget about the unbridled devastation wreaked upon the Gulf Coast last week by Hurricane Katrina. Our happy "Colgate bubble" seems a world away from the chaos that pollutes the watery hole that was once New Orleans.
The disaster displaced roughly 1,000,000 people. Mayor Ray Nagin estimates that as many as 10,000 bodies will be recovered in the following days and months as the city is drained. The affected areas, which quickly became infested with looters and thieves, are now being pumped and supervised. In response, the Colgate community is mobilizing to help.
On Monday, a meeting was held in Memorial Chapel to discuss the crisis and the various ways in which Colgate can respond. The meeting was the latest event in the ongoing efforts of students, residents and faculty members to contribute to hurricane relief. University President Rebecca Chopp kicked things off with a speech affirming Colgate's determination to help and praising what has already been accomplished.
"We responded on 9/11. We responded when the tsunamis happened. We will work hard to respond to this," Chopp said. "I'm already overwhelmed by the response."
The president had reason to be surprised, for the reaction has been rapid and powerful, even in these early stages.
"The community has already collected, we think, over $7,000," said Assistant Director of the COVE Betsy Busche.
Collections have taken place all around campus. At the football team's first game of the season on Saturday, $2,450 was donated. The bookstore also chipped in by donating $1,400 for Katrina Relief. In addition, the softball team and the Theta Chi fraternity - which hosted a party last Friday - have both gathered sizable collections. Possibly the biggest donation, however, was amassed at on off-campus party over the weekend.
Four residents of 96 College Street, also known as Gate 96, threw a party to benefit the victims of Katrina. Seniors Tristan Kessler, Jay Armstrong, Mark McVeety and DJ McLaughlin recruited a band and funded the party so that all proceeds from the night could go towards aid.
The disaster displaced roughly 1,000,000 people. Mayor Ray Nagin estimates that as many as 10,000 bodies will be recovered in the following days and months as the city is drained. The affected areas, which quickly became infested with looters and thieves, are now being pumped and supervised. In response, the Colgate community is mobilizing to help.
On Monday, a meeting was held in Memorial Chapel to discuss the crisis and the various ways in which Colgate can respond. The meeting was the latest event in the ongoing efforts of students, residents and faculty members to contribute to hurricane relief. University President Rebecca Chopp kicked things off with a speech affirming Colgate's determination to help and praising what has already been accomplished.
"We responded on 9/11. We responded when the tsunamis happened. We will work hard to respond to this," Chopp said. "I'm already overwhelmed by the response."
The president had reason to be surprised, for the reaction has been rapid and powerful, even in these early stages.
"The community has already collected, we think, over $7,000," said Assistant Director of the COVE Betsy Busche.
Collections have taken place all around campus. At the football team's first game of the season on Saturday, $2,450 was donated. The bookstore also chipped in by donating $1,400 for Katrina Relief. In addition, the softball team and the Theta Chi fraternity - which hosted a party last Friday - have both gathered sizable collections. Possibly the biggest donation, however, was amassed at on off-campus party over the weekend.
Four residents of 96 College Street, also known as Gate 96, threw a party to benefit the victims of Katrina. Seniors Tristan Kessler, Jay Armstrong, Mark McVeety and DJ McLaughlin recruited a band and funded the party so that all proceeds from the night could go towards aid.