OUR VIEW: Donating will ease strife nationwide

A week and one-half ago the American Red Cross announced their Disaster Relief Fund was at an 11-year low. With Hurricane Isabel approaching, the organization issued an emergency plea for donations.

In the aftermath of Isabel, the Red Cross is reporting the fund has been completely emptied, and desperately asking for help.

Because we live nearly 2,000 miles away from the center of destruction Isabel has created, some may not feel affected by the action. But, look around. Ask around. There are students and faculty at Utah State University whose loved ones have been directly and severely affected by Isabel.

The Red Cross is reporting that more than 25,000 people have taken to their shelters. The death toll is still not completely clear, and millions are without power.

While it is difficult to donate monetarily as college students, there are other ways. If possible, give blood. Contact a local organization that may be sending supplies and aid to the East Coast. Donate your time to that. Drop off some coins in a Coinstar machine at a grocery store. Go to the Red Cross’ Web site www.redcross.org – there’s a list of different ways to help.

If every full and part-time student at USU donated just $1,more than $20,000 would be available to help victims across the eastern coast.

Go to the Web site and find a way to help – if not out of genuine compassion, do it because some day something that destructive could happen to us and we’ll need someone’s help.