September 8, 2005
Residence halls pitch in to help Hurricane Katrina survivors
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – As the Purdue community raises money for relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, students living in the university's 15 residence halls are taking a lead role in the fund-raising.
The Residence Hall Association challenged each of Purdue's more than 11,000 residents to donate at least $2, and set a goal of raising at least $500 in each hall through the end of next week.
"This effort is being driven by the students who live in each of the halls," said Denton Sederquist, residential life manager at Wiley Hall and adviser for the Residence Hall Association. "This tragedy has touched all of us deeply and students are eager for any way they can help."
All funds raised by the Residence Hall Association, a group that brings together student leaders from each hall, will be deposited into the Purdue Katrina Relief Fund Account. That money will be then be donated to the Lafayette chapter of the Red Cross.
In addition to raising funds, University Residences is working to provide housing for displaced families of Purdue students from the Gulf Coast, as well as students transferring to Purdue from the affected area.
Residents of Owen Hall will use an end-of-summer party to raise part of their goal. The hall's Summer Splash will take place 4-8 p.m. Friday on the hall's front lawn. In addition to inflatable games, music and appearances by Purdue Pete and Rowdy, the event will include a dunk tank where residents can trade donations to the relief effort for the chance to dunk the hall's resident assistants.
Students, faculty and staff will be able to make donations at collections points around campus, but Sederquist said that anyone – regardless of whether they are a resident or not – is free to bring donations to any residence hall as well.
Writer: Matt Holsapple, (765) 494-2073, mholsapple@purdue.edu
Source: Denton Sederquist, (765) 494-2174, sederquist@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
Related Web sites:
Purdue's Hurricane Relief Efforts
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