Issue date: 1/27/10 Section: News

Children of Haiti.

Jan. 12 was more than a bad day for Haitians. A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck, and life as they know it was changed forever.

The earthquake in Haiti has all but destroyed nearly one million lives, and counting. With a death toll exceeding 150,000, a total of 193,000 wounded, and 609,000 people left homeless, the amount of aid needed continues to grow.

When the number of people affected is this great, people need to work together to accomplish more, and that is just what Robert Morris University is doing.

There have been numerous organizations on campus that have been collaborating within themselves to figure out how to aid Haiti in its endeavor to survive.

"We've had students affected by it, [the earthquake]. We are doing 'Help for Haiti' on campus and all of the funds raised here will be donated to World Vision, an organization that we have an established relationship with," stated Maureen Keefer, assistant dean of students.

World Vision is a humanitarian organization that works to improve the lives of impoverished children in the United States, as well as internationally. World Vision has been hard at work in Haiti since the earthquake hit.

"They have a presence in Haiti, and we want the donations to go to them because they will know what to do with them," claimed Keefer.

"Proceeds from campus fundraising will be donated to World Vision, with whom we have worked previously and which is doing good work in Haiti," said the President of Robert Morris University, Dr. Gregory G. Dell'Omo.

The Office of Student Life will be sending donations through the month of February to World Vision in hopes that the funds will help get Haiti through the worst of the earthquake and into the rebuilding stage.

"The Office of Student Civic Engagement is working now to host a student event in early February to gather more donations. We [the Office of Student Life] are coordinating some events and we're taking responsibility for getting the donations to World Vision," Keefer said.

"The Office of Student Civic Engagement is working with student leaders from various campus organizations to coordinate a dance marathon on Friday, Feb. 12, to raise money," informed Dell'Omo.

The students are not stopping there. The Robert Morris band and the cheerleading team are working together to gather money during the men and women's basketball games.

Continued...

Page 1 of 4 next >

Article Tools