Editor's Note
By Marion Harmon
Generosity of Spirit
I am happy to report that 18-month-old Mia, alum Shasta Herndon’s
daughter (see spring 2005 Chico Statements, page 28), received a
life-saving liver and kidney transplant at UC San Francisco Children’s
Hospital on July 29. She is doing very well and is expected to be
able to return home to Paradise in a few months.
Through the efforts of volunteers and contributors, $62,000 has
been raised to cover transplant-related expenses and post-transplant
care for baby Mia. Shasta expressed her family’s gratitude,
saying, “The generosity and kindness showered on us is completely
overwhelming. Sometimes it makes me cry when I think about it.”
In the wake of the devastation and loss of life left by Hurricane
Katrina, it has been a wonderful thing to witness the generosity
and kindness of people throughout the country, coming to the aid
of the many victims. As in other parts of the country, there has
been an outpouring of donations and support from throughout the
campus community.
Rick Scott, a Louisiana native and director of Associated Students’
Adventure Outings program, left Sept. 5 with six student staff members
for Baton Rouge to be deployed in the Gulf Coast region as American
Red Cross volunteers. Scott and the students, who are trained in
first aid and wilderness survival, are expected to be volunteering
for at least two weeks.
The Community Action Volunteers in Education (CAVE) is coordinating
meetings for campus and community volunteers and acting as a referral
location to direct volunteers to the American Red Cross. Phi Delta
Theta fraternity has teamed up with Sigma Nu fraternity and Alpha
Phi sorority to form a Greek Hurricane Relief Coalition to raise
money for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.
The CSU, Chico Office of Admissions had enrolled two students as
of Sept. 8, and had inquiries from 5-6 other prospective students
affected by Hurricane Katrina. The CSU System has temporarily suspended
its standard admissions policies in order to facilitate enrolling
students impacted by the hurricane.
We wish all of the volunteers the best and hope that the hurricane
survivors can rebuild their lives as soon as possible.
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