Blue ribbon campaign will raise funds for Red Cross disaster relief
U of G will hold a vigil Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. in War Memorial Hall to mourn those who lost their lives in South and Southeast Asia and East Africa as a result of the Dec. 26 tsunami. The evening will include reflections, music and readings. Everyone is welcome to attend.
“Our community joins with the millions of people around the world mourning the tremendous loss of human life,” says president Alastair Summerlee. “Our thoughts are with the families whose loved ones are still missing, with those who have lost their homes, and with the people bringing aid and support.”
U of G will also pay tribute to those who died in the tsunami by observing a minute of silence Jan. 12 at noon. The University community is invited to share this observance with members of central administration and student government in Room 103 of the University Centre. Introductory remarks will begin promptly at 11:45 a.m.
In the aftermath of the disaster, members of the University have been joining forces to provide support for those here on campus who have been directly or indirectly affected by the tsunami, as well as for the hundreds of thousands of people in the devastated areas.
“The University is doing what it can to give assistance by providing counselling services, facilitating financial donations and, in the future, offering the expertise of our faculty, staff and students,” Summerlee says.
For personal counselling, members of the community can turn to Student Counselling Services, the Employee Assistance Program and the Multi-Faith Resource Team.
Many members of the University have already made individual financial donations to humanitarian service organizations, but U of G is also running a blue ribbon campaign until Jan. 21 on the theme “We Can Make a Difference.” Collection boxes have been placed in a range of locations across campus. Funds will be donated to the Red Cross.
In addition to this campus-wide effort, groups and individuals have staged or are organizing fundraising events. Last week, veterinary students Crystal Loh and Jason Hsiao helped run an Ontario Veterinary College initiative that raised more than $1,000 in cash and online pledges.
Two members of the School of English and Theatre Studies — Prof. Ajay Heble and PhD candidate Jesse Stewart — are involved in organizing a local tsunami relief concert to be held Jan. 22 at 7:30 p.m. at the River Run Centre. Performers will include The Kramdens, Sarah Harmer, The Cryin' Out Loud Choir and Tannis Slimmon, a staff member in the Department of Plant Agriculture. Tickets are $25 through the River Run box office at 763-3000. All funds collected will be donated to UNICEF, and charitable tax receipts will be issued.
Student governments and the International Students Organization are also planning fundraising events. Watch for details on the University's website.
In addition to providing economic support to those affected by the disaster, U of G will be working with faculty and other researchers to assess what short- and long-term help Guelph might provide in research and development expertise, Summerlee says.
Plans are also under way to hold a speaker series later in the semester to discuss the far-reaching impact of the tsunami. That topic will be the focus of an international development seminar being organized by Marshall Gallardo Castaneda, a master's student in rural extension studies. Slated for Jan. 13 at noon in the lobby of the Landscape Architecture Building, the seminar will feature speakers from across campus.
