The effort to raise money on campus for victims of last week's terrorist attacks is reaching the end of its week-long campaign, and organizers of the coalition of 40 student groups are expressing optimism that they will reach their $10,000 goal.
Through Thursday night, they had raised approximately $6,000 from a Wednesday fundraiser at George's Garage and from donations collected at tables around campus all week. Tables at the Cambridge Inn, Bryan Center, Marketplace and Hudson Hall will remain open Friday and accept cash, check and FLEX.
"Things are going wonderfully. We're making more money than I thought the Duke community would ever be able to raise," said junior Ethan Brown, a member of Theta Chi fraternity and one of the fundraiser's organizers.
The week of fundraising will culminate Saturday night with an event at Cafe Parizade on West Main Street. A capella groups Out of the Blue and Speak of the Devil and comedy group Duke University Improv will perform from 10 to 11:30 p.m., with a party after that will last until 2:30 a.m. The event has a $6 cover.
Several other fundraisers have succeeded in raising thousands of dollars for relief efforts. Last Sunday's University worship service donated its $16,000 weekly offering to the American Red Cross. Duke Student Government President C.J. Walsh, a senior, spearheaded a flag-selling effort that raised approximately $3,500 for the New York Firefighters' Fund.
The coalition of student groups originally intended to put much of their efforts toward transportation costs for Duke students who were directly affected by the terrorist attacks. Since initial planning last week, however, the organizers decided that such a need is low and that the United Way September 11th Fund could better use the money.
By Wednesday, the United Way fund had surpassed $89 million nationwide. The fund will help victims, their families and communities in both the short term and long term.
"Originally, we thought there was a possibility that there were some Duke students who were personally affected and would have to fly home," said sophomore Sara Hudson, a Spectrum member and another fundraiser organizer. "Because, thank goodness, there are so few students directly affected, almost all the money will be going to the United Way."
Students requiring financial assistance to return home to care for loved ones or attend funerals may apply for the campus funds through Oct. 17. The Division of Student Affairs will review the applications, which are available at http://csc.studentaffairs.duke.edu.
Brown and Hudson said the fundraising program has already accomplished another goal: increasing interaction between different student communities. About 40 student organizations--from fraternities and sororities to cultural groups--are participating in the program.
Two students--usually one from a greek organization and one from a cultural organization--direct each fundraising table, under the theory that interaction itself improves understanding among students. "I've never seen anything like this; they're finding something that they have in common," Brown said. "People are finding out that things are not as stereotypical as they thought."
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