News Articles

The Mace & Crown, March 2, 2005

TSUNAMI RELIEF EFFORTS AT ODU BRING IN MORE THAN $7,600

By Jacquelyn Renee Owens

             The Old Dominion University community raised more than $7,600 during its recent tsunami relief campaign.

                 On Saturday, Feb. 19, during a four-hour flea market sponsored by the Student Government Association, organizations raised more than $1,400.

                 Forty tables spanned across the North Mall of Webb Center, vending such items as clothes, shoes, dishes, posters, doughnuts and even radios. Through donations given by students, faculty and staff, thousands of items were on sale.

                 Some organizations sold unusual items.  By 2 p.m., the Hellenic Society still had not found a prospective buyer for the dog leash they had for sale.

                 Christos Karallis, Hellenic Society executive member, said of his organization, “We are one international  society; we are from Greece and Cyprus and have more than 30 members on campus.”

                 The Association of Information Technology Professionals pushed hair products like natural shampoos and moose.

                 Mardi Gras beads were even on sale on some tables. Books were the product of choice for the Student Government Association.

                 “I saw one of my students and a friend,” said Oguz Er of his visit to the flea market. His friend was a volunteer from the International Balkan Society (IBS).

                 “It’s a good thing to help other people without expectations,” said Er of his friend Marija Raskovic’s involvement.

                 Raskovic, like Er, is a graduate student of the Department of Physics at ODU. She said she saw her organization’s presence at the flea market as a “good opportunity to help ODU and the tsunami relief, and also to establish (ourselves) on campus.”

                 As spokesperson and treasurer, Raskovic is trying to promote her organization every chance she gets. Next week, the IBS along with Women’s Center will sponsor a talk on famous women from the Balkan region, she said.

                 The College of Business is also indirectly involved with Tsunami Relief.

                 Patricia Strait, a professor teaching a graduate course to students stationed on board the USS Lincoln, a nuclear aircraft carrier, said, “(The) Lincoln’s involvement in the tsunami relief is multifaceted. It includes providing medical care, medical supplies, assistance with cleaning roadways, infrastructure assistance, logistics support, transportation, evacuation, food and daily living supplies.”

                 Strait also gave some insight into the efforts given by local military.

                 “A lot of people envision that the only thin our American military does is wage war,” she said. “In fact, they spend the majority of their time doing a wide variety of tasks including rescue missions, research, logistical support and homeland security.”

                 Wallie Laxks Sr., senator representative for the Reserve Officer’s Training Corps at ODU, encourages people to go back to Indonesia, because tourism is their biggest source of economic development, he said.

                 “I was in Phuket and Pattaya, Indonesia, when I was active duty military service and have many fond memories,” he said. “It was a very beautiful place (with white sand beaches and turquoise, Kool-Aid blue waters.”

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