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Volume 54 lssue 4
New focus for Roberts assistance
Emphasis shifting from bare necessities to long-term nee<ss
By Dave Word
News Editor
daveword@bellsoiah.net
When Hurricane
Katrina smashed into
the Gull Coast two
weeks ago. it laid to ruin
much of the southern
portions of Mississippi
and Louisiana, leaving
hundreds of thousands of
people without shelter.
The University of West
Georgia. along with
other schools, churches,
local governments and
individuals across the
Southeast responded to
the need.
Within hours of the
announcement that Roberts
Hall would re-open to
receive evacuees, students
and members of the local
community had already
donated a mountain of
bedding, towels, clothing
and personal necessities,
and the residence hall came
back to life, receiving the
first of many guests on
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Photo by Dave Word
The computer lab at Roberts is one of the most popular features with guests.
Students react favorably
to university relief efforts
By Kelly Williams
Staff Writer
kellyuwga@bellsouth.net
Since hurricane Katrina struck the
Gulf Coast, the news has been full of
the efforts of the National Guard, Red
Cross, FEMA and other well known
organizations. But who knew the
University of West Georgia would also
embrace the relief efforts?
Currently, Roberts Hall is housing
over 170 evacuees and students have
made an overwhelming effort to volunteer
and donate. Cherish Lynch says, “I think
it’s great that the university is finding
ways to help.”
Some students feel it only made
sense to use Roberts Hall for a good
cause. Robert Eback says, “If there are no
students in there I don’t see a problem.”
Several students are voicing their
approval of the services UWG is offering.
Amanda Stevens says, “I couldn’t
believe it...the generosity of our school is
“/Student Voice at the l niversity of West (icori;to since !0 W'
Sept. 2.
In the early days
following Katrina, it
seemed uncertain what
the role of Roberts Hall,
and the volunteer workers
who help run it, would be.
What everyone involved
did know was that a need
was there, and that they
had the means and the will
to help meet it.
For the first few days,
many of the guests who
found their way to the
campus were on their way
to somewhere else, glad of
a place to rest for a night
or two.
Others, though, had
nowhere else to go, and
made a choice to stay until
they are able to return to
their homes or find more
suitable lodging. The
dorm has gradually filled
up with these longer-term
residents.
There is a sense of
near-normalcy in the lobby
area, with little sign of the
ordeal these people so
astounding sometimes!”
The outpouring of donations is
tremendous. Students both individually
and in organizations are acting in
this time of need alongside the UWG
administration.
Students receive e-mail after e-mail
from one another with opportunities to
get involved and give aid.
But there is also concern about the
future of relief efforts. Students worry
that the enthusiasm may die down as
media attention shifts elsewhere in
coming months.
Eback makes the point that while
some are giving from the heart, “[some]
are only in it because of the immediate
guilt they feel from seeing all the carnage
on the news.”
Stevens is excited about the
outpouring but says, “This may be a short
lived display of compassion that will end
before the victims can fully recover.”
She quickly added, “Hopefully, this
won’t happen, though.”
recently experienced, and
are still experiencing. Kids
play or use the computer
lab. Adults come and go,
or sit and talk quietly, or
visit the desk to ask for
cleaning supplies to clean
their rooms - almost as if
they were part of a church
retreat, instead of a mass
evacuation.
Robin and Raven
Miles and their aunt,
Torie Quinn, all from
New Orleans, say they
are typical of many of the
guests. They left before
the flooding with a family
group -15 people in a car
and a mini-van - finding
shelter in various places
before ending up in a
Carrollton motel, from
where they were able to
contact a church group,
w hose members took them
to Roberts Hall.
Quinn said she has
received conflicting
information about when
they might be able to retufn
to their neighborhood.
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Photo by Dave Word
Three young guests smile tor the camera In the lobby of Roberts Hall Saturday. All school
age children at Roberts have been placed In local schools.
“First they said it would
be six months, then nine
months,” she said.
Another guest from
New Orleans said he
had learned that his
house is now sitting on a
neighboring lot.
With 178 guests as
of Saturday, Roberts Hall
was nearing the limit of
200 people and university
officials had decided to
stop taking in new guests,
according to public safety
director Tom Mackel. He
said that the objective now
is to provide the long-term
support the guests need to
find places to live, jobs,
medical care and schools.
He also said that all the
school-age children have
already been enrolled in
local schools, and that one
Thoughts of home
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Photo courtesy Office of University Communications <t Marketing
Stacy Williams, 21, and Lowminkar Odda, 25, traveled for days before arriving at
UWG’s Roberta Hall. They’re still looking for family members and are not sure If
they’ll ever return to New Orleans.
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
young man has even found
a job at McDonald’s and
enrolled in West Central
Technical College.
Local churches have
been providing meals for
the refugees, and a kitchen
has been set up in the
dorm. Mackel said that this
arrangement will continue
at least until Sept. 19.
Churches are also
providing vans for
transportation to various
local destinations
throughout this week.
Medical care is now
being provided by Student
Health Services, which
opens its temporary clinic
at Roberts twice a day.
Caseworkers from
local social services
agencies have been
assigned to each family,
and they will help with
such things as long-term
housing, employment and
other needs specific to
each family.
Because Roberts Hall
has stopped taking in new
guests, and the immediate
needs of the current
residents have been met,
the university is no longer
accepting donations of
household items, clothing
or personal necessities.
The large quantity of
donated items that remains
is being turned over to the
Piney Grove Church, which
will distribute it to Katrina
refugees throughout the
local area. The church is
setting up a distribution
point at the former “Hoss’s”
See ROBERTS, page 3