How did you spend your weekend? The fraternity and sorority community at the University of Alabama spent their time pulling together after the tragic storms that moved through the southeast last Wednesday, leaving a wide path of destruction and devastation, leaving over 350 dead, thousands injured, and hundreds still unaccounted for this morning.Yesterday, while many of us went about our normal Sunday routine, our brothers and sisters in Alabama prepared, packed, and served over 8,000 hot meals for the people of Tuscaloosa. These young men and women are responsible for 1/4 of the hot meals served in the city in the days since the storm.
In addition to the meals served, they've mobilized their community for donations and volunteers - utilizing Twitter (@UA_Greek_Relief) and Facebook (UA Greek Relief). They are cooking meals on grills in the back of fraternity houses, and sorting donations in their dining rooms. To catch a glimpse of these men and women in action, check out this piece from NBC Nightly News.
This is what fraternity and sorority is all about. We do have the ability to create change in our world, especially when we come together as the men and women at Alabama have in the past few days. Even in the face of their own loss (two Panhellenic women lost their lives in the storm), they are making life a little easier for the people of Tuscaloosa.
Take a look at their website, and consider supporting their effort today. And consider this... imagine the good our Fraternity and Sorority communities have the ability to accomplish, not just when there is tragedy, but 365 days a year. What reality of Greek Life are you creating?
1 comment:
This update just in. Please read for further information about supporting this relief effort.
Friends and Colleagues:
I want to thank those of you who have reached out with phone calls, emails and facebook posts in the last several days to check on us here in Tuscaloosa. From a personal standpoint, the support and encouragement I’ve received in the last five days has been overwhelming.
Many of you have also been asking how you and your students can support the recovery efforts here in Tuscaloosa. I wanted to provide you with a message to that regard. The following link contains a message that was just sent out to our entire database of Greek students, alumni and parents.
http://app.e2ma.net/app2/campaigns/archived/21942/9356eafbadc6f79656a979947f246a6a/
Please feel free to pass this information along to your students, colleagues and anyone else who you think may be interested in supporting our ongoing recovery efforts here at UA.
Seeing this grassroots, completely student-led initiative take shape has been one of the most humbling and rewarding experiences of my professional career. Literally thousands of fraternity and sorority members have put in hours of hard work in making this relief effort happen. Words can’t describe how proud I have been to be part of the University of Alabama Greek community in the last five days.
Thanks again for all of your support and encouragement, and thank you for your assistance in spreading the word about our relief efforts here in Tuscaloosa.
Roll Tide!
GRM
Gentry R. McCreary
Director of Greek Affairs
The University of Alabama
Ferguson Center 230 I
Box 870298
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0298
Post a Comment