The Student Association and parking services together raised just under $30,000 in donations for victims of Hurricane Katrina during Saturday’s football game against Murray State University, Student Association president Jon David Cole said.
“The money is going to the MSU Student Relief Fund which is to help students out who’ve been affected by the storm and need short-term assistance for food, gas or textbook so they can stay in school,” Cole said.
The SA will continue to take donations during home football games this fall.
The campus outreach committee is working to raise money and supplies for those in need and to promote other organizations on campus to help out.
The SA is putting collection boxes around campus and asking other organizations to help raise money. “We have not received all of that money yet, so I’m not sure how much money in all we’ve raised, but we’ve done pretty good so far,” Lindsey Tew, SA co-director of campus outreach, said.
Faculty organizations at MSU are also helping students and other residents affected by the hurricane.
Delores Hudson, staff assistant for the Robert Holland Faculty Senate, said the Faculty Senate, in conjunction with the department of communication and Starkville’s First United Methodist Church, put together a drive last Friday to collect money and goods for hurricane victims. The group collected $8,330, as well as goods.
“That money was used to buy more food and supplies locally. The supplies were then put on a truck that was provided by Royal Trucking Company out of West Point and was taken to the Gulf Coast Marine Distribution Center on Sunday,” she said.
Students from the affected areas said the Mississippi State family is very helpful in times of need such as hurricane Katrina.
Freshman psychology major Crystal McEldwoney of Biloxi said support from students and faculty has been helpful.
“The support that they give us is great. Especially the faculty; they are very understanding and are willing to work with us,” she said