CSULB
generosity to Katrina victims recognized
in ceremony
Molly
Haupt
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
Cal State Long Beach’s Army Reserve Officers Training Corps program presented
the American Red Cross with a $2,708 check for the Hurricane Katrina Relief
Fund during a special ceremony on lower campus by the engineering buildings
Tuesday afternoon.
Lt. Col. Kyle George, professor of Military Science Battalion of the Army ROTC,
asked the cadets to think of a way to show their community service and help
those in need in the wake of Katrina, and one cadet mentioned setting up a
table and asking students to donate money.
“
What I was trying to instill is that we have a civil responsibility to help
fellow citizens, and they came up with a wonderful idea,” George said.
The ROTC members set up shop near the University Bookstore Wednesday and Thursday
during Week of Welcome and continued collecting donations the following Monday
through Thursday.
“
It was really out of the generosity of the CSULB students that we were able
to raise so much money for the Red Cross and Hurricane
Katrina victims,” said Rebecca Cruz, 25, cadet battalion executive officer.
“
Our projected goal was $1,000 and we didn’t really expect to receive
much more than that,” Cruz said. “Students were dropping in $20,
$10, $5 and some just helped out in whatever way they could.”
They even set up the table a couple of extra days because of the wonderful
response they were getting from students.
“
We really would like to thank all those who contributed. $2,700 is a wonderful
donation and we are very pleased with the students’ generosity,” Cruz
said.
Jeanette Jones, public relations assistant for the Greater Long Beach Chapter
of the American Red Cross, was also very grateful for the donation.
“
One hundred percent of this donation will go directly to the Katrina relief
effort and we are very thankful for having such a wonderful community right
in our backyard,” Jones said.
She also said because three corporate donors allowed their contributions to
cover all of the Red Cross’ financial assistance needs, it is definite
the entire $2,708 the Army ROTC donated is going to Gulf Coast victims.
The Long Beach Chapter of the American Red Cross has already raised over $1
million, and has provided aid to over 200 families who have found their way
to Long Beach.
This
includes placing them in hotels, providing
food, and providing financial assistance.
“Long Beach is their home now,” Jones
said.
The contribution the students of CSULB made, with the help of the Army ROTC,
was a great success, and the local Red Cross chapter said financial assistance
is the most efficient way to help Katrina victims.
“
We don’t have the money, staff or means at this point to go through donated
clothes and food, so financial assistance is the best way to help us help those
in need,” Jones said. “The generosity of CSULB students has
been amazing.”
|
