Money for Sandy victims

Sal Quartucio, right, shown with niece Rachel Krinner, looks for belongings among the ashes of what use to be his home on Friday in Bayville, N.J. Sal and Elaine Quartucio’s home burned down the night Hurricane Sandy hit the surrounding area. MCT PHOTO
Sal Quartucio, right, shown with niece Rachel Krinner, looks for belongings among the ashes of what use to be his home on Friday in Bayville, N.J. Sal and Elaine Quartucio’s home burned down the night Hurricane Sandy hit the surrounding area. MCT PHOTO

After Superstorm Sandy has killed at least 105 people in the U.S. and caused more than 3.5 million power outages, people across the country are dealing with the ramifications of the storm. One group at Ball State is doing its part to help.

  

The Atheists for Science and Reason set up tables two days last week to collect donations for Sandy victims to send to the Red Cross. Kyle Stormborn, president of the group, also has set up an online donation page.


“Hopefully people realize that we’re not trying to do anything with atheism for this event,” Stormborn said. “We’re sincerely trying to raise money for victims that were impacted.”


The American Red Cross is responding across multiple states after the effects of Sandy on the East Coast. 


“This will be a large, costly relief response and we need help now,” said Charley Shimanski, senior vice president of Disaster Services for the Red Cross in a press release.


The group has raised $671 as of Saturday, surpassing its goal of $500 in less than a week.


Stormborn said he was not expecting a lot of donations, because college students generally don’t have a lot of money to give.


“[Before, I thought] if we raise $100, I’ll be happy. Whatever we raise, I’ll be happy because any amount helps,” he said. “But the fact that we’re up to $671 is huge. I’m really happy about that. I’m proud of the group; I’m proud of Ball State for donating so much.”


The group also used email and social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook to spread the word to their friends and family. 


“People mostly donate money to us online; it’s more convenient, especially for students,” said Nick Klemm, treasurer of Atheists for Science and Reason.


The group still plans to set up tables in the Atrium and Teachers College next week.


“We felt that it needed to be done,” Stormborn said. “They need all the help they can get, so we might as well do our part to try and make it a little easier on them.”


Because the group taking donations is affiliated with being atheist, Stormborn said he originally had some concerns.


“The main thing that I was trying to say is in the end, we’re all humans,” he said. “And we all need to help each other out regardless of what our religion is, what nation we’re from, what we look like. It doesn’t matter. We need to help each other for the sake of helping each other.”


Students can donate at the tables next week or at crowdrise.com/asratbsu.


-Aiste Manfredini contributed to this story. 

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