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February, when the days of winter seem endless and no amount of recollecting can bring back any air of summer. -Shirley Jackson
The Wilson Billboard February 19, 2010 Wilson College Chambersburg, Pennsylvania Vol. XXXXI, No. 8
The Wilson Community Responds to the Record Haitian Earthquake by Sarah Martin Deforestation, colonization and years of political unrest resulted in poverty, high mortality rates and left numerous people homeless in Haiti. Haitians recently received another blow to their impoverished lives. On Tues, Jan. 12, Haiti shook, buildings collapsed and cracks in the land opened up. A 7.0 magnitude earthquake, thought to be the effect of two plates shifting, destroyed much of Haiti. This is the strongest earthquake to hit the region since 1770. Wed, Jan. 20 saw a 6.1 magnitude aftershock. Seven days later another aftershock, this one registering 4.9 on the Richter scale, shook the already destroyed country. The epicenter of the quakes was located ten miles southwest of the country’s capital Port-au-Prince. BBC News reported that officials estimate 230,000 people are dead, around 300,000 are injured and at least one million are homeless. Survivor rescue efforts were called off on Tues, Jan. 26 and plans toward relief and rebuilding began. Now, towns and cities are full of tents--most are sheets held up by sticks--are surrounded by buildings BBC News reported that in rubble. These makeshift tents house families, officials estimate 230,000 many of which lack the necessities of food and people are dead, around water. 300,000 are injured and Many countries all over the world sent aid at least one million are by whatever means they could, whether it was homeless. medical personnel and supplies; food and water; tents and humanitarian aid or simply their prayers of support. The U.S. sent almost 13,000 troops to Haiti to help with the relief efforts. Former Presidents Bush and Clinton launched the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fun. On Sat, Jan. 16, to raise money for the people of Haiti. The Red Cross began a cell phone campaign on Fri, Jan. 15, in which U.S citizens texted the word HAITI to a specific phone number and made a $10.00 donation via their cell phone bill. Another country-wide relief effort was the Hope for Haiti Now telethon. Various actors, singers and TV show hosts joined together to gather more financial support for Haiti. Relief efforts and donations of any size are wanted and needed. Wilson
College students and faculty participated in one such effort, a bake sale, that was held on Mon, Feb. 15 and on Wed, Feb. 17 from 8:30-9:15pm in Warfield Hall and the Science Center. The Spanish Club and the Friends of China club held the bake sale because, according to Prof. José Cordova, “we feel distressed that there are actually people who seem to have written Haiti off as a lost cause and think that any aid we may offer will make no difference. The members of the Spanish Club feel that in the face of suffering and need we must respond as generously and fraternally as we can.” The two Spanish Club presidents, Mariza Cooray ‘10 and Monique Pare ‘11, commented that the bake sale was, “not receiving as much support from students as we hoped for…[we] appreciate all forms of support from the Wilson Community in this effort, no matter how large or small they may be.” The donations and proceeds from the bake sale went to the Red Cross. “[We] appreciate all forms A local Club Scout group, Pack 136, of support from the Wilson collected tents and tarps in response to a plea Community in this effort, no for help from a Boy Scout Troop in Miami. matter how large or small Prof. Dana Harriger, Assistant Dean and they may be,” said Spanish Head of the Science Division and Assistant Club presidents Cooray ‘10 Prof. of Biology, who announced the Boy and Pare ‘11. Scouts’ need at a faculty meeting, hopes, “that if anyone [has] an old tent or tarp lying around, they may consider donating it for relief.” The troop collected tents from the charter church St. John’s United Church of Christ members, from parents of the Pack and Troop 136 and one tent from a Wilson employee. The Chambersburg troop sent the tents to a Miami troop that then sent them on to Haiti. Chaplain Rosie Magee asks the Wilson community to send their prayers to Haiti, not only for those who have lost their lives or the lives of loved ones, but also for “the millions of Haitians who survived the quake and are now without shelter, food, and/or proper medical attention.” Continued on Page 2
The John Stewart Memorial Library and Warfield Hall after the snowstorm. For more about the record snowfall see the story on page four. Photo by Xiaomeng Li
Students, faculty, staff and community members looking for more campus news are in luck. The Billboard recently entered into a partnership with College Publisher--a subsidiary of MTV Networks--that will give The Billboard the opportunity to publish articles online. Because of this new medium, staffers can now publish news and information in a timelier manner, with content supplementing the monthly print edition. The plan to launch an online edition of the paper has been in the works for at least a year. Xiaomeng Li, the current News and International Editor, will begin as the Online Editor as soon as the website launches. The Billboard hopes to add features independent of the print format. Some of these features include a more interactive design where readers can comment on content. The Billboard also hopes to add more sections to the electronic version, incorporating updates from departments on campus, clubs, as well as a events calendar. Other features that The Billboard can add to an online format are short videos and podcasts, which reporters can use to illustrate or contribute to their stories. The online edition will have a greater capacity for photos that are often left out of the print edition of the paper. Look for the online edition of The Billboard soon.
Now Get Your Billboard Fix Online by Kayla Chagnon