GRIZZLIES AID Albany tornado victims
A
fter a January 22 tornado left
severe damage in Albany, Ga.,
GGC students quickly mobilized
efforts to help the victims. The EF3
Association officers at Albany State
University on arrangements for a trip to the area, a 3.5-hour drive from GGC.
tornado was up to 1.25 miles wide and
“A team of 15 students and a staff mem-
causing several deaths, dozens of injuries
deliver the supplies,” Lucier said. “We spent
had an unusually long track of 70.1 miles,
ber’s husband volunteered their vehicles to
and damage to hundreds of homes.
the next day clearing downed trees and
Coordinated by the Office of Student
other damage from around local homes.”
Involvement, the student-led initiative
Energized by the experience, the students
water, non-perishable food and other
more vehicles’ worth of supplies, 13
the Grizzly community.
This time, they spent two days clearing
collected emergency supplies such as
vowed to return. After collecting several
critical items from generous members of
Grizzlies made a second trip in February.
Erin Lucier, ’17, business, one of the
damage, painting and making other repairs.
project’s leaders and founding president
“This was the first-ever emergency relief
collaborated with Student Government
Walker, associate director of Student
of the Grizzly Leadership Academy,
effort by GGC students,” said Rontai
Students and staff making a second trip to deliver emergency supplies to tornado victims in Albany, Ga., included (first row) Erin Lucier, Crystal Ramirez, Clarissa Landaverde, (second row) Ben Hines, enrollment management associate, Monica Sandoval, Camilo Hernandez, (third row) Alfredo Corona, Ceraya Nichols, Mamady Marenah, Jadonna Grimes, Josue Fuentes, Gina Amariles and Rontai Walker, associate director of Student Involvement and the Student Center. Circle: Several students wore t-shirts bearing a Gandhi quote about service. Upper right: Omar Zuniga carries away tornado debris. Middle right: Monica Sandoval and Crystal Ramirez assist with a homeowner’s repairs. Lower right: Mark Guevara clears away downed tree branches.
12
I
Ge orgia Gwinn et t C ollege
Involvement and the Student Center.
“It was impressive to see our students
take the lead in organizing the project so
quickly. They made the first trip less than a week after the tornado struck.”
Lucier said she and other Grizzlies felt a
responsibility to help their fellow University System of Georgia (USG) students.
“We hope that if GGC and its community were struck by a natural disaster, other USG students would come to help us,” Lucier said.
