EAU CLAIRE — It goes without saying that the tragic events of Sept. 11 have had and will
continue to have a deep and profound effect on each one of us. Throughout a week
that brought disbelief, fear, horror and anger, the UW-Eau Claire campus
community came together – responding to this national tragedy in appropriate
and meaningful ways that have helped each of us move slowly forward.
Our students, faculty and staff offered one another
one-on-one support, but also joined together as a campus to participate in many
helpful and poignant activities – activities that should and will continue in
the days and months ahead as we turn our attention to the victims, their
families and recovery efforts. It was obvious to me last week as I visited
classrooms, talked with students and walked through campus that as a university
community, our hearts, our prayers and our sympathies were with the victims,
their families and the many rescue workers.
I, as do many of you, feel a deep sense of sorrow and
helplessness. Many of you have said that you wish you could do something beyond
offering prayers and emotional support. As a result, a number of people on
campus have come together in the last week to organize fund-drives and other
activities to offer support to the thousands of people in New York City and
Washington, D.C., who were directly affected by these terrorist attacks.
One such effort was organized by the UW-Eau Claire Student
Senate, which is continuing its fund-drive today to raise dollars to assist the
victims and their families. You can make your donation near the Information Desk
in Davies Center. You’ll receive a ribbon to show your support and an
opportunity to write a message to the rescue workers. The money will be given to
the American Red Cross.
UW-Eau Claire student athletes also are organizing the
“Run for Peace,” starting at 6 p.m. Friday on the track on upper campus near
Simpson Field. Runners will take turns running for 24 continuous hours, ending
at 6 p.m. Saturday. For more information, call Athletics at (715) 836-4184.
We’ll let you know about other campus efforts as they
unfold via the University Bulletin and the Web.
A number of off-campus relief and charitable organizations
are coordinating their relief efforts to ensure that donated funds, in-kind
assistance or volunteer efforts are directed where they do the most good. For
your information, I am sharing with you contact information -- provided in large
part by the Changing Our World organization (http://www.changingourworld.com)
-- for a number of those agencies.
Ways You Can Help
September 11th Fund
The United Way of America and the New York Community Trust have established
the September 11th Fund in response to the terrorist attacks on
the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. You may send donations to
the United Way, 2 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016, or call(212)
251-4035. Donations are being accepted on United Way of New
York City's Web site: http://www.uwnyc.org.
Eau Claire’s United Way
chapter also is participating. Additional information will be available
in packets soon to be given to UW-Eau Claire employees to start the campus
fund-drive.
Silver Shield Foundation
A client of Changing Our World's services division is in a position to help
the families of firefighters and police officers killed in the World
Trade Center collapse. The Silver Shield Foundation is collecting funds
for the educational needs of the children of the firefighters and
police officers who perished in their heroic duty. For information on
making a contribution, call Martin Duffy at their offices, (212) 499-0866, ext. 27 or
send e-mail to silvershield@changingourworld.com.
International Association of Fire Fighters
You can help fallen firefighters and their families by donating
to the International Association of Fire Fighters' Emergency Fund.
http://www.networkforgood.org/911/donate/fire_fighters.html#nysfop.
New
York State Fraternal Order of Police Fund
The New York State Fraternal Order of Police has set up a fund to
help police and their families who were affected by the tragedy
at the World Trade Center. http://www.networkforgood.org/911/donate/police.html#nysfop.
New
York Times Neediest Cases Fund
The New York Times Company has begun a special campaign to raise
money for the victims of the attack on the World Trade Center through
its Neediest Cases Fund. Donations can be made online at www.charitywave.com
or sent to: The New York Times 9/11 Neediest Fund, P.O. Box 5193,
General Post Office, New York, NY 10087. For
more information.
American Red Cross
http://www.redcross.org
To
make a secure online donation to the relief efforts, visit:
http://www.redcross.org/donate/donate.html,
or call (800) HELP-NOW, (800)435-7669) or (800) 257-7575 (Spanish).
Or send your donation to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013.
To donate blood, please call (800) GIVE-LIFE (800-448-3543), or contact your local
Red Cross:
http://www.redcross.org/where/where.html.
Catholic Charities USA
http://www.catholiccharities.org
Catholic Charities agencies nationwide are mobilizing to help victims
and their families recover from the devastation in New York, Washington, D.C.,
and Pennsylvania. To contribute to the organization's disaster relief
fund, send checks to Catholic Charities, P.O. Box 25168, Alexandria,
VA 22313-9788, or contribute online at:
http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/donation/donation.htm.
United Jewish Communities
http://www.uja.org
United Jewish Communities has opened the UJC Emergency Relief Fund to assist
in the recovery, relief and rehabilitation of the victims of this tragedy
and their families. Checks should be made payable to UJC Emergency
Relief Fund and sent to: UJC Emergency Relief Fund, 111 Eighth Avenue, Suite 11E, New York, NY 10011.
Helping.org
http://www.networkforgood.org/
Helping.org has posted a list of Web sites and charities accepting
online donations and aid for those affected by the terrorist attacks.
National Organization for Victim Assistance
http://www.guidestar.org/partners/helping/index_ext.jsp?npoId=357764
The National Organization for Victims Assistance has established a Fund for
Terrorist Attack Victims. For more information on how you can help, visit
the above Web site.
OTHER RESOURCES
Emergency Telephone Numbers - New
York Times
The New York Times has posted a list of emergency resources on its Web
site to help anyone who is trying to locate loved ones who may be
missing or injured as a result of the attack on the World Trade Center.
The page also includes a list of WTC tenant companies and relevant
contact information.
Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): How To Help Victims Of The Terrorist Attacks
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is urging those willing to
volunteer or make donations to use the following numbers:
-- to give blood: (800) 448-3543);
-- to make financial contributions: (800) HELP-NOW and (800)SAL-ARMY;
-- to volunteer general services: (800) 801-8092
New York Blood Center
http://www.nybloodcenter.org
Thanks to the overwhelming response of New Yorkers and others, the New York
Blood Center is urging anyone without an appointment or not participating
in a previously scheduled blood drive to postpone making a donation
this week. Those interested in making a donation over the next few
weeks are urged to contact the New York Blood Center's toll-free line
at (800) 933-2566.
New York Fire Department
The New York Fire Department is asking for the following assistance:
-- if you are a doctor and would like to offer your assistance,
please contact (518) 431-7600;
-- if you are an EMT, paramedic, nurse, or nurse's aide and
would like to offer your assistance, please call (800) 628-0193.
New York State Emergency Information Page
New York Gov. George Pataki has posted a list of emergency contact
numbers on the state's Web site:
http://www.state.ny.us/sept11/wtcframe.html.
Resources include volunteer information, blood donation location information,
and telephone numbers of concerned family members and friends
trying to locate missing persons.
News Bureau
Judy Berthiaume
UW-Eau Claire News Bureau
Schofield 201
(715) 836-4741
newsbur@uwec.edu
Updated: Sept. 17, 2001
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Schofield Hall 201