Alma College Mobilizes to Aid Hurricane Victims
An Alma College Call to Action
President Saundra J. Tracy has called for the Alma College community to commit to a Year of Action in response to the overwhelming needs of those affected by Hurricane Katrina. In so doing, we live out our College mission to “serve generously and lead purposefully."
A
campus-wide Task Force led by Sallie Scheide, assistant director of
Discovering Vocation, and Juliann Schaffer, Americorps*VISTA volunteer,
is coordinating our Alma College response. Information on Alma’s
Year of Action can be found on the College's Web site.
Web Editor Joe DeSalvo has created a Web site for the call to action, linked off the front page at http://www.alma.edu/community/almacares. This site includes the President's statement for a call to action and links to a listing of relief resources, how the College is responding, and a listing of the Response Task Force members.
This is just a start. As the College continues to make decisions on response activities, the site will be updated A Hurricane Relief account has been established at the Alma College business office. Individuals and student groups are encouraged to direct personal donations and proceeds from fund raising activities on campus so that a single check may be sent from Alma College. Funds deposited during September and October will be directed to the American Red Cross National Disaster Relief Fund.
Student groups are encouraged to direct funds from existing events to the relief fund. Groups and individuals may also submit proposals for new fundraising ideas to the task force. Contact Scheide or check the Action Web site.
Scheide is in contact with Red Cross, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Break Away and other organizations to see if there are possibilities for direct service in the Gulf Coast states during this academic year.
Alma College is committed to assisting students displaced from universities in Lousiana, Mississippi and Alabama that have been severely affected by Hurricane Katrina. We will expedite all paperwork and seek to minimize the cost for students. We also will extend deadlines for submission of paperwork and help dovetail the course selection with the needs of students to help secure a smooth transition to the original university. For more information, or if anyone is aware of affected students needing such accommodations, please call us at 1-800-321-ALMA or (989) 463-7139.
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Posted: Fri, September 16th, 2005 at 4:29PM
