A gathering of the University Democrats and College Republicans would typically involve debate and politics, but all week the two have been together on the West Mall to garner bipartisan support to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Total cash donations for Tuesday and Wednesday exceeded $750, said Alex Hunt, president of the University Democrats and a government sophomore. The two organizations plan to continue their setup Thursday afternoon.
The event was just one of several that UT students have organized in the aftermath of the hurricane that has brought hundreds of displaced Louisiana students to campus, said Kevin Hegarty, UT vice president and chief financial officer. Hegarty leads a committee that is aiming to bring student organizations together to host volunteer efforts and to help UT students who may be trying to get in touch with family members.
Cash donations to the American Red Cross will continue to be needed most, Hunt said. Student volunteers will continue to collect clothing and canned food donations for the Salvation Army.
"A lot more people couldn't give money but came to learn how to volunteer, which was even better," Hunt said. Students on the West Mall were informed of ways to help with outreach to hurricane refugees through Project Help, the American Red Cross, the Austin Convention Center and local blood-donation banks.
Some students used their Bevo Bucks to purchase school supplies from the University Co-op for Project Help, an Austin Independent School District-based organization that aids local homeless students. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Project Help has assisted displaced Louisiana students who are now attending Austin schools.
This week the organization has been so overwhelmed with donations of school supplies that they are now requesting cash donations, which are indispensable in helping displaced students, a Project Help volunteer said.
Some students Wednesday echoed national sentiment, complaining about the slow pace of federal relief aid to hurricane victims in addition to allegations of racial prejudice in areas most ravaged by the hurricane.
"A lot of people, whether they're Democrats or Republicans, black or white, see a problem with how the federal government reacted," Hunt said. "We're here to show that [we want] to make up for it."
College Republicans campaign director Said Aziz, who helped organize the donation booth, said Americans should refrain from pointing the blame for inadequacies on federal response until further investigations of the relief efforts are complete. Aziz said that this week's rally is a step in putting political preferences aside and helping fellow citizens who are still in urgent need of help.
"We're able to show today that no matter what your political positions, all Americans feel they want to come together and help anyone they can," Hunt said. "I think UT students showed [that]."
The University Democrats and College Republicans will be on the West Mall starting at 10 a.m. Thursday.
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