Chaplain's Office Sets Ball Rolling on Iraq Fundraiser

Author: Dan Phillips

College Chaplain Laurie Jordan sent an e-mail to all faculty, staff and students Friday, April 11, announcing the start of "Middlebury Cares," a coordination of humanitarian fundraising efforts intended to address the human needs of both the Iraqi people and the American troops. Associate Director of Career Development and Counseling Krista Siringo collaborated with Jordan on the project that plans to collect donations through campus mail and at lunch Tuesday and Wednesday of this week in the dining halls.
Half of the money raised will go to the United Service Organization's (USO) "Operation Phone Home" that provides phone cards to America's servicemen and women. The other half will go to three other aid organizations - the American Red Cross (ARC), International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Oxfam America, which, according to the Office of the Chaplain, are all working to "bring emergency relief to thousands of displaced residents in Iraq and refugees in bordering countries." The ARC will provide technical expertise and non-food items, while initial emergency interventions of the IRC will focus on life-saving activities. Oxfam is currently providing water sanitation services and health programs in UNICEF and UNHCR-operated camps on the Jordanian and Syrian borders.
After formulating the idea earlier this month, Jordan and Siringo recently gained support from the Student Government Association (SGA) and the Staff Council to put the project in motion. Permission was granted to send an e-mail to the school community thus "unveiling" Middlebury Cares, articulated Siringo. "I am really hopeful that we will have a good response," she said.
This is one of many community efforts that the SGA supports in the spirit of its "Conflict in Iraq Resolution." According to Ginny Hunt '03, president of the SGA, the fundraising effort seeks to rally community support behind humanitarian efforts in Iraq. The SGA is largely limited, however, to co-sponsorship and promotion since it is not an event planning or programming body.
The idea for the fundraising effort came out of a military support meeting for faculty and staff who had family members serving in Iraq.
Siringo herself has a brother currently serving in the Fourth Infantry Division.
The campus has mobilized to support many different causes, noted Siringo.