Student groups across campus are continuing to unite in support of relief and remembrance efforts for the victims of the Dec. 26 tsunami.
Rosa Nguyen, political action chairwoman for the Asian Pacific American Coalition, said Northwestern’s Asian and Asian-American student groups held a meeting Wednesday to brainstorm various aid and awareness activities.
“The (relief) process is definitely starting and it’s getting pretty fast,” said the Weinberg junior. “I have total confidence in us being able to get together a really good effort not just inside our community but with the entire Northwestern community and even the local Evanston community.”
Nguyen said APAC is planning a powder puff football game, to be held toward the end of the quarter, with proceeds going to tsunami relief groups.
Dean of Students Mary Desler said the South Asian Student Alliance is joining with Asian fraternity Lambda Phi Epsilon to hold a candlelit vigil for disaster victims on Wednesday night.
“We felt that it was appropriate for us to take this opportunity to host something with the university in response to the tsunami,” said Jonathan Chan, a member of Lambda Phi Epsilon.
Chan, a Weinberg junior, said the two groups are not yet sure whether they will hold the event by The Rock or by the Lakefill. He added that the event will be open to all NU students and faculty, as well as Evanston residents.
Non-Asian Northwestern groups also are contributing to the relief effort. Niteskool, a student group dedicated to promoting and managing student bands, is holding a benefit concert at 7 p.m. today at Shanley Pavilion. Proceeds from the concert will go to the American Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders.
“Give us your beer money, your laundry money, any money you can give us, it will all go to the tsunami relief,” said Saira Khan, Niteskool president and Weinberg junior. “People will not be allowed in unless they give a donation.”
NU student bands The Meteroids, Peter Bartleson, Citizens on Patrol and Beef & Nougat will perform.
Khan said the concert originally was planned as part of a series of free events that Niteskool sponsors but after the disaster hit, she decided to use the show to help relief efforts.
“We want to give as much money as we can to help those poor people who were affected by this tragedy,” Khan said. “We are hoping that regardless of the snowstorm, people come out and enjoy student bands and student music, and more importantly come out for a good cause.”
The university is responding to the tsunami disaster with a campus-wide prayer and remembrance service at Norris University Center’s McCormick Auditorium at noon today.
University Chaplain Tim Stevens said that he decided to hold the service after receiving several phone calls and e-mails urging the university to respond to the disaster.
“(The tragedy) is so enormous that it makes it difficult to comprehend,” Stevens said. “Having this opportunity to come together with others and talk about what happened makes it more concrete and real.”
Reach Julia Neyman at [email protected].
