January 13, 2005

Purdue community steps forward to help tsunami casualties

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue has raised almost $3,000 so far for victims of the tsunami, and officials said additional funds are being raised from students, faculty and staff in a show of support for casualties of the disaster.

A coalition of student organizations is collecting money and soliciting ideas for additional events that will help further the efforts to pool resources and send help to South Asia via the American Red Cross. The coalition is being coordinated through Purdue Student Government with support from the Office of the Dean of Students.

"When the students came to me with this proposal, I wasn't surprised because this is what student organizations do," said Pablo Malavenda, student government adviser and associate dean of student activities and organizations within the Office of the Dean of Students. "It's part of this generation's legacy to want to share what they have, both with time and money, to give back to the community."

Groups participating include the Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Association, Mortar Board, Residence Hall Council and Purdue Student Union Board. Members of the President's Round Table mobilized the coalition that spearheaded the effort. Members are continuing to find ways to help more groups contribute, said Tim Jones, a senior majoring in industrial engineering from Evansville, Ind., and coordinator of the fund-raising effort.

"All these organizations have told us they would like to contribute, and we're giving them a way to funnel their energy and funds for one great purpose," Jones said. "For the first time, we're able to encourage organizations to donate up to $100 out of their general accounts, and we're hopeful that will make it easier for everybody to become involved."

The India Student Organization will set up a collection table under the mural in Stewart Center from Jan. 18-21. The social fraternity Sigma Pi will sponsor a bake sale in the lobby of the Class of '50 Lecture Hall between 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday (Jan. 19-20).

Money collected will be sent to the International Response Fund through the Tippecanoe Chapter of the American Red Cross, which supplied signs and collection cans.

All residence halls will have a collection site at their main offices until Jan. 21. Fraternities, sororities and cooperative houses also will have collection points in their buildings.

People going to the Purdue-Indiana University basketball game on Saturday (Jan. 15) will have the chance to contribute before or after the game or at half time at tables set up outside Mackey Arena.

Checks made out to Purdue Tsunami Relief may be dropped off until Jan. 21 at the following locations: Purdue Student Union Board, Room 268 of Purdue Memorial Student Union, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.; Purdue Student Government, Stewart Center Room G6 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.; and the Business Office for Student Organizations, Room 213 Schleman Hall, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

In addition, checks may be mailed directly to Purdue Student Government, STEW Box 640, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907.

More than 156,000 people were killed after a magnitude 9.0 earthquake occurred off the Indonesian island of Sumatra on Dec. 26, triggering massive waves that surged across the Indian Ocean. All infrastructure has been wiped out in areas hardest hit, including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Burma and Malaysia. Areas in Africa such as Kenya, Somalia and Tanzania also were damaged by the tsunami.

Writer: Maggie Morris, (765) 494-2432, maggiemorris@purdue.edu

Sources: Pablo Malavenda, (765) 494-1231, Pablo@purdue.edu

Tim Jones, (765) 532-8331, tcjones@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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