F.Y.I: There are more collect calls on Father’s Day than any other day of the year.

• THE METROPOLITAN • JANUARY 28, 2010 • NEWS • A7

Altruism without boundries Legislature

<<Continued from A3
Mileon was planning to visit
Haiti when she graduates in Decem-
ber to visit and tour the country she
hasn’t seen in many years. She will
still go in December, she said, but
now wants to spend the trip helping
the country rebuild.
“Now I think my trip will be very
different,” Mileon said.
A sustained effort
Representatives from several aid
organizations were also invited to
share information with students. Not
only providing those interested with
ways to donate money, the organiza-
tions also shared the latest informa-
tion they had about the situation on
the island.
A large percentage of buildings
in Port-au-Prince collapsed in the
earthquake, including the presiden-
tial palace, the parliament, most gov-
ernment ministries and the United
Nations headquarters.
One of the problems the country
faces is that many professionals, of-
ficials and police officers, died in the
quake, leaving Haiti without a func-
tioning government. As one exam-
ple: almost the entire United Nations
staff perished, an emotional trag-
edy for the friends and loved ones of
those who died, also a crippling blow
to the U.N., at least temporarily, in its
ability to offer aid to the country.
“Haiti is going to need a long
time to recover from such a tragedy,”
said Jim Rettew, communications
coordinator of the Red Cross’s Mile
High Chapter.
Rettew said the two Red Cross
buildings in Port-au-Prince collapsed
in the earthquake, but all their em-
ployees survived and its office was
back up and running days later.
The American Red Cross has
raised around $30 million for Haiti,
with more than $650,000 of that
total coming from Colorado, Rettew
said.
One thing helping the process
is with new internet and cell phone
technology the Red Cross has been
lobbies for
Haiti relief
Caitlin Gibbons
cgibbon4@mscd.edu
The Colorado General Assembly
took a moment to put aside partisan
politics to acknowledge the hardship
in Haiti.
Sen. Lois Tochtrop, D-Adams, in-
troduced legislation Jan. 25 that pro-
poses that all unopened medication
from long-term care facilities be sent
directly to Haiti. Unopened medica-
tions from such facilities are now
destroyed in the event that they are
prescribed to a patient and unused.
Days before, in a joint resolution,
HJR10-1003, co-sponsored by Rep.
John Kefalas, D-Larimer, and Toch-
trop, the legislature put aside busi-
ness as usual Jan. 21 and examined
how Coloradans can help support
the relief effort by making donations
Josh Gabrielson listens to speakers at the Haitian Earthquake Relief fundraising and informational to humanitarian relief organiza-
event Jan. 21 in the Multicultural Lounge at the Tivoli. Gabrielson, who works in admissions said tions.
he came to see what the campus was doing to help Haiti. There were representatives from the Red Sen. Kenn Lundberg, R-Larimer,
Cross, The Salvation Army and The Lambi Fund who spoke at the event about each of their organiza- shared an e-mail from a young wom-
tions. Photo by Leah Millis • lmillis@mscd.edu
an in Haiti that he and his wife have
receiving donations quicker than load leaving Denver on Wednesday know someone from Haiti.” been supporting and corresponding
ever, two to three times quicker than with first aid and hygiene supplies And even those who don’t know with for years.
during the 2004 Asian Tsunami, he donated by community members. anyone in Haiti have taken up the He urged the senate to not only
said. Lana Taussig, director of communi- cause of raising money, or whatever act now, but also keep in mind that
Another of the organizations cations for Project C.U.R.E., said the they can for the relief effort. Haiti and other disaster-stricken
invited to the information session, amount of contributions to Proj- Metro political science major communities need help for the long
Project C.U.R.E. is a non-profit that ect C.U.R.E. has already surpassed Jimmy Braley and his roommate Jus- haul.
focuses on supplying medical aid to those given for the 2004 Tsunami in tin Perkins raised around $600 for Other senators took to the mi-
countries in need. The supplies are Southeast Asia. Haiti at a party they threw in their crophone to extend their sympathies
then given to the U.S. Military to dis- “It’s been really heartening to apartment over the weekend and do- to the Haitian community and urge
tribute. see the amount of support people are nated the money to the Red Cross. the passage of the resolution.
Since the earthquake, the organi- willing to contribute,” Taussig said. The pair contacted the Red Cross Sen. Linda Newell, D-Arapahoe/
zation has delivered six shipments of “I think people really feels a connec- beforehand, invited a friend who had Jefferson asked the chamber to
medical supplies worth approximate- tion to Haiti … when something like spent time in Haiti to give a presen- spread the word through their dis-
ly $1 million to Haiti with its latest this happens everyone realizes they tation, got a couple kegs and asked tricts about adopting children from
people to pay a $5 cover. Haiti.
Haiti Relief Resources “We just figured: we wanted to The resolution includes a section
help, we had the resources … and encouraging the U.S. Department of
American Red Cross everybody was going to be drinking State to assist in the immediate evac-
Save the Children

Mile High Chapter

www.denver-redcross.org
 www.savethechildren.org anyway … why not put it all together uation of orphans being adopted by
or call toll free 1800-728-3843

and have a party with a meaning?” Colorado families.
Lambi Fund for Haiti
 Braley said. “And not only did they Newell also reminded the assem-
www.lambifund.org
 The Salvation Army

www.salvationarmyusa.org
or 1800 give their money to a good cause, bly of the nearly 2 million Haitians
Project C.U.R.E.
www.projectcure.org


 SAL-ARMY or text ‘Haiti’ to 52000 to
give an automatic $10 
donation

they learned something, too.” without homes, which is roughly
one third of Colorado’s population.
For more coverage on Haiti, According to testimony given by
For a complete list of resources, visit our website at:
themet.metrostudentmedia.com/haiti turn to B3 and A8 >> Sen. Suzanne Williams, D-Arapa-
hoe, the chamber raised more than
$2,100.

Two resign from student assembly

By Ben Wiebesiek
wiebesib@mscd.edu
Metro’s student government as-
sembly finished the fall 2009 semes-
ter with a full senate, but two weeks
into the spring semester, the senate
has two less votes for the lead-up to
college elections.
Senator and senate parliamen-
tarian Gary Lefmann and interim
senator John Kelty both resigned at
the start of the semester citing per-
sonal reasons.
According to senate bylaws, the
remaining seven voting senators
do not need to fill the vacancies to
continue meeting in sub-commit-
tees, drafting legislation or voting
with the speaker of the senate as an
eighth vote.
The senate can also temporarily
fill the vacancies before student-body
elections in April with a confirma-
tion vote for interim appointments
made by SGA President Andrew
Bateman.
While Kelty and Lefmann ten-
dered their resignations within
weeks of each other, the former
senators have a sharply contrasting
length of tenure.
“I’ve done some research and
I’ve found that Gary is the longest,
continually serving member in the
history of the SGA,” Interim Senator
David Crumbaker said.
Lefmann joined the SGA in 2004
when a new constitution created the
senate.
Student Vice President C.J. Garbo
said he would miss Lefmann’s contri-
butions to the senate although they
had differences in opinion regarding
the SGA.
“I respect and appreciate his
dedication and service in student
government,” Garbo said.
Julia Woodward, speaker pro
tempore of the senate, said that Lef-
mann’s time in the senate made him
a valuable asset for the SGA.
“His service has been phenom-
enal and having his understand-
ing and experience will be missed,”
Woodward said.
Woodward acknowledged that
she has spent far less time working
with Kelty, who joined the senate in
June 2009 as an interim appoint-
ment by President Bateman.
“But in this time, I saw that he
was very hard working and I hope he
continues to be involved with SGA in
the future,” Woodward said.
One method for raising funds
was to encourage lawmakers to do-
nate by paying $50 to dress in blue
jeans Jan. 21.
The resolution was passes unan-
imously by both the house and sen-
ate. Tochtrop added the roll call for
the senate as co-sponsors of the bill,
as well as the roll call of the house.
Copies of the resolution will be
sent to Gov. Bill Ritter, President
Barack Obama, Kenneth H. Merten,
the ambassador to Haiti from the
United States and other U.S. govern-
mental officials to solidify Colorado’s
support of the relief effort.