OUR VIEW: Volunteer effort came from the heart

The International Student Association held a fundraiser for the victims of Katrina by playing pingpong this week. Their efforts are especially touching because the money raised will go to victims of a disaster far removed from the Utah-American experience they are having, and even further removed from their homelands. Not even all Americans can say they have done as much to help the victims of one of the worst hurricanes in U.S. history.

But we like to think most can – including the students of USU. The organizers of Service Week, an event usually dedicated to local projects, completely changed focuses this year in order to help with disaster relief. Bake sales and other impromptu activities were pulled together by hardworking and quick thinking students in an effort to do something in the wake of such overwhelming destruction.

Both ASUSU and campus-independent organizations turned pre-scheduled events into fundraisers. Only a couple of hundred dollars has been raised at each event, but the dollars are adding up. Wristbands will be sold for $1 at the football game to further the effort.

In the meantime, local projects of Service Week still enjoyed success. While national tragedies like Katrina are overshadowing, local elementary school children still need help reading and Special Olympics still needs coaches. Students responded and over the course of this next year will be giving of their time in a variety of ways.

The students of USU may not have donated millions in monetary means, but small donations sometimes come from student budgets at large sacrifices. And in the meantime, other donations from the heart such as time and talent, will be poured out on the Logan community for at least one more year to come.