Midd examines disaster relief efforts How students and faculty react to disaster

Author: Jeanine Buzali

The cries of the hurricane and earthquake victims could be heard, even within the College bubble, but some might not be aware of just how extensively the College has reacted to the recent disasters. News and calls for help filter in and out of our e-mail inboxes, but few people actually go beyond the mail-reading stage and into the doing-something stage. How willing are students to step outside their own comfort zone and confront the hard reality of these disasters?

Referring to Middlebury's relief effort, one sophomore said, "I think the College needs to do more about it. Not enough things are being organized." One first-year, acknowledging the efforts of organizers, noted that he was simply to busy to get involved. "I just really don't have time," he said sheepishly.

In the last month and a half, much has been done in order to involve the Middlebury community in the relief efforts. A Web site detailing the community's efforts was set up by the Chaplain's Office and an e-mail was sent out to all students publicizing it. The e-mail includes a summary of recent events, such as the Katrina Teach-In Panel discussions of last week, the "New Orleans Music After Katrina" lecture. Prayer services for earthquake victims, organized by the Chaplain and the Islamic Society and the two informational meetings organized by the Hurricane Relief Coalition (HRC), facilitated by the Chaplain's office, the Alliance for Civic Engagement and the Center for Campus Activities and Leadership (CCAL). There is also a college fundraising Web site [http://www.middlebury.edu/campuslife/services/chaplain/katrina_relief.htm#hurricane],.through which staff, faculty and students have pledged nearly $17,000 to various relief organizations.

The largest event to be scheduled, however, is Hurricane Relief Week, on Nov. 6-12, organized by the HRC. According to the Coalition's mission statement, "The aim of the HRC is to mobilize student and community groups and coordinate relief efforts on the Middlebury College campus. Regardless of our distance from this natural disaster, we recognize the need for both an immediate and long-term response; furthermore, as an educational institution we feel it is appropriate to focus our efforts on the needs of schools and educational communities that have been affected by these storms. We will organize events that promote awareness and generate funds to support the rebuilding effort..." The Coalition is planning an event each day during this week. As one HRC member said, "We have planned a whole spectrum of events ranging from auctions to lectures to a vigil to a campus-wide party."

Not everything has been easy for those involved. Matthew Amoss '07, who spoke in the Warner Hemicycle about how the media portrayed Katrina, said, "When I did my lecture, I had trouble with not knowing who to go to for help. I got support, but I had trouble following up. The advertising was difficult and I ended up doing most of it myself."

The HRC had trouble getting organized and advertising what they were doing, because, as Amoss said, "We're not a club, so we don't have a budget, and we can't send campus-wide e-mails. In terms of advertising, we were running blind and going at it on our own. There's definitely a sense here that people are willing to help, but don't know how to go about it. There is no lack of desire to help, but there is a lack of knowledge."

Other students are also attempting to join the effort. Asheen Faisal '06, through the International Students Organization (ISO) and the Middlebury Asian Students Organization (MASO), recruited volunteers to sit outside dinning halls with posters and tins and collect donations for the earthquake relief.

Many who organized or helped out in the general relief effort are students who were closer to the disasters than most of us. Amoss himself is a resident of New Orleans, and Faisal is a native of Pakistan.