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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 7, 1997)
Power of helping survives blizzard ■ Volunteers in the Campus Red Cross pitch in at area shelters. By Brice Sullivan Staff Reporter When a severe snowstorm hit Lincoln, leaving thousands of people without power, members of the campus community hit back by volunteering to help those in need. Between 40 and 50 members of the Campus Red Cross at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln joined the Lancaster County chapter in providing aid to more than 500 people at the four shel ters that were set up in town. “The students who helped as volunteers were all very, very helpful,” said Randall Jones, the executive director of the Lancaster County Red Cross. students neiped oy coordinat ing staff, setting up shelters and assisting those who arrived at shelter doors in need of a warm place to stay, he said. “They did everything,” Jones said. Brianna Hooi, president of Campus Red Cross, said she was amazed at the motivation of the student volunteers to help, including those who were with out power themselves. Michelle Decker, recording secretary for the group, was in charge of contacting members to set up volunteer slots. She said the members she reached were all ;eag«r to help, and many called friends who were not involved with the organization to lend a hand. Another member of the cam pus chapter, Kim Dvorak, said she learned from the experience while helping prepare food and check in guests at the Christ’s Place Church shelter, 1111 Old Cheney Road. “I learned just how useful a little bit of your time can be for other people,” Dvorak said. She said she realized the severity of the situation when she saw the many children among the 30 people who stayed that night. However, Dvorak described the atmosphere of the shelter as warm and fairly carefree. u Volunteerism is an American Randall Jones county Red Cross director Jones agreed. “People can generally adapt to different environments,” Jones said. “Those at the shelters were accepting of the situation and sometimes quite upbeat.” Visitors and volunteers at one shelter helped celebrate the birth day of a 92-year-old woman, who had been forced from her home by the storm. Jones said the Red Cross pro vided essential items at the shel ters, including clothing, food and comfort items such as toothpaste and combs. Medical attention was given to those who suffered injuries or health problems from the storm. uespue me K.ea cross s wonc, | Jones said the organization would have had a more difficult time without help from Lincolnites. Jones said neighbors helping neighbors was a big reason for the success in getting through the storm. “Volunteerism is an American thing,” Jones said. “You don’t find anything quite like it any where else in the world.” Lincoln residents will need a month or two to recover from the storm, Jones said. It’s still impor?,-; tant to remember that members of the community still will need help with debris removal, food loss because of the power out ages, and financial aid. The Red Cross will continue to help meet the needs of those affected by the storm by looking at individual cases. The Campus Red Cross has 150 members, including 90 new members this year. Students interested in joining the organiza tion or in learning first aid or CPR, or who have questions about how they can help those affected by the storm, can call the Lancaster County Red Cross at (402) 441-7997, or the Campus Red Cross through the University Health Center at (402) 472-7440. »■ ■ -■— -----] Officials tour campus, assess storm carnage f From Staff Reports Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency toured the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Thursday to assess damage caused by the recent snowstorm. Their visit, including talks with administra tors about damage,,. c,Q,niipy£S today. The UNL is eligible to receive FEMA funds, which will help pay the university’s out-of-pocket expenses for storm cleanup, said James Main, assistant vice chan cellor for business and finance. But no funds have been given to the university yet, he said. “Right now, it’s show and tell,” Main said. FEMA officials will decide whether to give UNL emergency funding and how much after their visit is finished and UNL has filed its damage claims. The university will file its first, 20-page claim with FEMA Monday, detailing employee overtime pay and the cost of chain saws and other cleanup equipment, Main said. That claim’s amount is unknown, he said. The dollar value of UfclL’s PfojidttyToSs fVo$ Ai^tftrm will not be included. UNL will submit another claim detailing losses in its once green, leafy assets, Main said. FEMA funds will be available to pay for replacement trees in the state, he said, but that doesn’t guarantee that UNL will receive money. If the university doesn’t receive sufficient funds, it may ask the administration to find money elsewhere, such as^he state Legislature, Main said. Mug calls for social action KING from page 1 “These are the words that have haunted me all my life,” King said. “I developed a social consciousness well before I met Martin Luther King Jr.” After King married her husband, they moved to Montgomery, Ala., where they participated in nonvio lent protests against racism and seg regation. She said that when she saw empty buses pass her house during the Montgomery city bus boycotts led by Rosa Parks, she realized the power of nonviolent social protest. Although responses to the Kings’ nonviolent protests included violent threats, imprisonment and bomb ings, King said hers and her hus band’s faith in God, and message of “fighting hate with love,” won the « I developed a social consciousness well before I met Martin Luther King Jr” Coretta Scott King widow of slain civil rights leader civil rights battle. When their house was bombed after the bus boycotts, King said, her husband’s response of nonviolence helped future civil rights crusades. “Victory was assured (in the fight for civil rights) by the seeds of faith, courage and unconditional love Martin showed that day,” King said. King called on America’s youth to embrace the ideals of her late hus band, and work toward nonviolent social changes in racism, homopho bia, sexism and other forms of dis crimination. “It wasn’t so long ago that a gen eration of young people answered the call and tore down walls of segre gation,” King said. “Come forward, young people - come forward not with anger and bit terness, but with a healing and hope ful heart.” Check us out www.unl.edu/DailyNeb/ __>_ you can see forever. EXCEPTIONAL SELECTION OF ENGAGEMENT AND WEDDING RINGS, quo . _EXTRAORDINARY VALUES AND PASSIONATE SERVICE. alifiW woitofiM :-iaiifc3 neiaiqO . ' ~ TOra Complimentary engagement package, call l8oo.M2.gift BORSHEIM'S. 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