When Cary Vachon, a senior nutrition science major, walked into the Carrier Dome Sunday, he was greeted by volunteers wearing Red Cross T-shirts and holding baskets for donations to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. After dropping $5 in a basket, Vachon made his way into the stadium to cheer on the Orange.

Fans at the Syracuse University vs. West Virginia game like Vachon raised about $57,000 that will go ‘directly to the Red Cross National Disaster Relief Fund to help rebuild the lives of those in the U.S. Gulf Coast region who have been affected by Hurricane Katrina,’ said Sara Mortimer, associate director of national media relations at SU News Services.

The fund raising efforts at the game were organized by SU’s athletics department and were made possible by volunteers from SU staff, student athletes and coaches from several SU teams, members of the Panhellenic Association, as well as students from Marcellus High School and other members of the Syracuse community, Mortimer said.

However, this was not the first fund-raising effort on campus since Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast Aug. 29. Hendricks Chapel has been holding an ongoing fund-raiser since Aug. 31 in conjunction with the Red Cross.

‘We have made arrangements with the Red Cross to have checks made out directly to them,’ said Virginia Yerdon, administrative assistant to the dean at Hendricks Chapel. ‘And we have a Public Safety officer who comes in on a daily basis and gets them into their hands as quickly as possible.’

So far, Hendricks Chapel has raised more than $9,400. Yerdon said those who contribute are ‘very generous.’ Not only have community members donated, but also students as well.

‘We’ve had students bring in their change jars with their pennies, nickels and quarters,’ Yerdon said. ‘We’ve had contributions in checks of all sorts of denominations.’

Elana Posner, an undecided sophomore in The College of Arts and Sciences, was one of those many students who chose to donate.

Posner said a member of a fraternity tabling at Juice Jam Saturday asked her to contribute.

The fund raising that took place at Juice Jam and the Sunday football game were ‘simply immediate reactions,’ said Eric Crites, vice president of the Student Association. Much more relief is needed for the long rebuilding process.

‘It’s important to realize that this is not a quick fix,’ Crites said.

SA is currently in contact with the administration to come up with more ways for students to help the victims of Katrina, Crites said.

‘SA is looking to give back as much as they can,’ Crites said. ‘We’re already working in a joint effort with the administration and setting up a way for students to give back in the very near future, once everything is logistically planned out with the administration.’

However, students are finding other ways to contribute besides monetary donations.

Catherine Schulte, a junior engineering major, has made many other contributions.

‘I’m a victim myself and I want to help, but I don’t have anything,’ Schulte said. ‘I’m helping as much as I can.’

Schulte recently dropped off canned foods at a nearby church, started a group on the Web site facebook.com aimed at garnering donations and is planning on starting her own fund-raiser with the help of a sorority sister.

Schulte hails from Pascagoula, Miss., a town 30 minutes east of Biloxi, which she said is not receiving adequate exposure.

‘I want to help my hometown,’ Schulte said. ‘I feel bad for New Orleans, but I don’t think the other areas are getting enough attention.’

Published on September 6, 2005 at 12:00 pm