In relief efforts for victims of the recent earthquake in Haiti, the < ahref=”http://www.sbcc.net/honors/”>Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society plans to raise $5,000 over the next few weeks for three organizations.
“This is a very important cause,” said Devin DiNapoli, president of the society. “The country of Haiti needs all the help we can offer.”
Charitable gifts will be collected in front of the Luria library for three days this week and thereafter until the goal is met, or hopefully surpassed. Funds will then be sent to the American Red Cross, Doctors without Borders, and the Santa Barbara-based Direct Relief International.
“We had planned to table the first week of school,” DiNapoli explained. “But due to the rain, we were forced to postpone.”
Instead, the donation table was re-planned to set up the first week of February. Donations will also be collected in front of the Luria Library.
She also explained that all donors would be recognized, unless anonymity is requested.
Fundraising at City College began shortly after the Puerto Rico fault line devastated most of the island of Haiti, especially its capital, Port-au-Prince, on Jan. 12.
Professor Manoutchehr Eskandari, chairperson of the political science department, moved quickly. He began to collect donations from faculty and staff via interoffice mail. At the time this story was filed, the amount remained undisclosed.
Eskandari then contacted DiNapoli and the society’s vice-president, Hannah Stromgren. The student-run effort began with $500 seed money from the society’s coffers. But by time the fundraising is done, they intend to collect at least 10 times more.
Sigma Chi Eta, the Communications Honor Society, will also participate in the effort. But, like Phi Theta Kappa, it has yet to hold its first meeting.
DiNapoli explained that society leadership will officially gather Today.
“But we wanted to get a head start on some of the projects we have planned for the semester,” she said.
DiNapoli added that Phi Theta Kappa’s philanthropic work would not end with helping Haiti’s earthquake victims.
Because of the death of student Marcus Arrendondo last fall, the society plans to launch a new campus club to raise awareness about drunk driving.
The 18-year-old City College freshman was killed by a drunk driver on the 101 early one Sunday last November.
DiNapoli and Stromgren were moved by the loss and organized a car wash to raise money for the victim’s family.
But details for that club remain to be hammered out. Because it’s the first week of classes, most clubs have yet to meet. Student Program Advisor Amy Collins believes it’s only a matter of time before other groups respond in kind.
“I’m sure they want to,” Collins said. “They just have to get started.”
In the meantime, DiNapoli encourages students looking to get either more information or directly involved with the society to contact either of their faculty advisors, Professor Eskandari or Professor Phyllis Eisentraut. Or, visit the society’s homepage on the school’s Web site.
