Though the fires throughout Southern California are finally
dying down, the ramifications of the disaster are still being felt
within many communities.
The UCLA community, though never physically in danger, has felt
the impact of the fire because of the number of students and
faculty who are directly or indirectly affected by it.
In order to make this difficult time a bit easier for everyone,
different campus groups try to contribute by designing programs
that will take place in the upcoming days.
Those students who are residents in on-campus housing and are
affected by the fires can take advantage of services provided by
the Office of Residential Life.
Jack Gibbons, associate director of ORL, said the office is
referring students to Student Psychology Services and helping them
get financial aid in cases of financial problems.
ORL is also working closely with Bruce Barbee, the director of
Academics in the Commons, in case a resident needs to postpone a
paper or a midterm.
Residents of on-campus housing are also taking action.
Dykstra Hall had students tabling Tuesday night in front of the
De Neve Plaza room, and they will table again tonight on the
Dykstra bridge.
The group will be collecting any monetary and item donations,
which will be sent to the American Red Cross.
Informational brochures about emergency preparation and ordering
emergency kits will also be provided.
David Pe, program coordinator for Dykstra Hall, said ORL
condones efforts to raise donations by residents and that the
office is taking the extra step to provide an educational aspect
for students in case of future similar crises.
Dykstra is also having a Pressed Flower Card Making Program,
where residents will be writing cards to families, firefighters and
friends affected by the fire.
Students can send these cards to affected personal acquaintances
or leave it to be sent to different areas in mass.
The second floor of Evergreen in De Neve, the community service
floor, is behind another program to collect funds, the Copper Coin
Drive.
The drive is a competition between all floors in the Evergreen
and Fir buildings ““ including the first floor of Fir, which
is designated for faculty and staff in residence.
The competition requires residents to put pennies in the jars
designated for their floors. Any other coin or bill found in the
jars will count against that floor. This twist encourages the
residents to donate larger amounts of money to other floors’
jars.
The money raised will go to the American Red Cross ““
Southern California Fire Relief Fund.
The drive will start today and will most likely be extended
until the end of next week, said Dayna Baker, resident director for
De Neve Plaza, Evergreen and Fir buildings.
Students will be tabling outside De Neve Residential Restaurant
from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. every night until the drive is over.
Aside from the programs throughout on-campus housing, the
Undergraduate Students Association Council’s Community
Service Commission is planning to sponsor a toy drive.
The exact date for the drive is not known yet, but planning is
in progress.
“For the toy drive, there will be a box in the USAC CSC
office, and we will probably have boxes throughout the
campus,” said Community Service Commissioner Justin
Schreiber, a fourth-year neuroscience student.
USAC will also have a competition for its officers to raise
money for the victims.