Wednesday, September 7, 2005
Goshen College responding to Hurricane Katrina
GOSHEN,
Ind. – Hurricane Katrina, which devastated Gulf Coast states
and continues to present survival challenges, has resulted in responses
from across the country and the world – including members of
the Goshen College campus.
Ways to help |
Current campus response efforts:
• The college has committed itself to welcoming any students academically displaced by Hurricane Katrina for the cost of board – waiving tuition and room costs for this academic year; the fall semester began two weeks ago and each potential new student’s needs will be assessed.
• The college is organizing a service trip for students to do cleanup in hurricane-devastated areas through Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) between Dec. 12-23.
• The college is hosting a 24-Hour Hurricane Hymn Sing to be held Oct. 14-15. Singing will occur continuously from 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 14 until 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 15 as a way of praying for people who have been affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The hymn sing will begin in the college Church-Chapel, then move to Rieth Recital Hall in the Music Center at 1 p.m. on Friday, where the singing will continue until the following morning. Pledges are being solicited on a per hymn or per hour basis. The public is welcome and invited to participate. Please contact Professor of Music Deb Brubaker at (574) 535-7366 or Campus Minister Sylvia Shirk Charles at (574) 535-7542 for more information.
• Campus Ministries is collecting cash donations to be sent to MDS, an agency of Mennonite Church USA, to aid in relief and clean-up efforts.
• Goshen College Campus Ministries is encouraging all students, faculty and staff to devote time in focused prayer as they watch or read the news about Hurricane Katrina. Prayers were led for all affected by the hurricane during all public campus events during the week following the disaster.
• The college’s Counseling Center is offering assistance to any students emotionally overwhelmed or seeking to understand the emotional impact of this disaster.
• On Sept. 13 at 6 p.m., Campus Ministries hosted a public labyrinth walk in the fellowship rooms of College Mennonite Church, where donations were accepted for MDS. The labyrinth is a tool of prayer, meditation and peace that is walked.
• A Red Cross blood drive will be held Oct. 28 on campus.
• The college will be collecting items being requested by the local Red Cross for their volunteers.
Interim President John Yordy said, “Goshen College is reaching out to persons affected by Hurricane Katrina with an interest in immediate response, yet we also want to keep an eye to the future and what we can do to think about longer-term plans to provide various types of service and support. As an institution committed to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, we are called to help our neighbors in need.”
Editors: For more information about this release, contact Goshen College News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.
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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a four-year residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college’s Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron’s Best Buys in Education, “Colleges of Distinction,” “Making a Difference College Guide” and U.S.News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” edition, which named Goshen a “least debt college.” Visit www.goshen.edu/.
