Members of OU organizations support member affected by West Union Street fire.
Following the tragedy of Sunday’s fire, Ohio University organizations are rallying around their fellow members whose homes were claimed by the blaze.
For Deanna Schaeffer, a senior studying communication and one of the six Sigma Kappas who lost their apartment, the tragic incident led to great support from campus organizations, such as greek life and Hillel at OU.
“Between texts, emails, Facebook messages and donations we have received so much support from the greek community,” Schaeffer said. “Each chapter on campus has reached out to us. In times of need the Greek community really comes together to support each other. We are forever grateful for the OU and Athens communities.”
Six senior members from Sigma Kappa, who previously lived above Jack Neal Floral are displaced after the fire on West Union Street.
“We were awoken at around 4 a.m. to a neighbor’s friend pounding on our door to tell us there was a fire next door,” Schaeffer said. “We evacuated and waited outside for a while before heading to (Baker University Center) where Dr. Jenny Hall-Jones was waiting to help all of the displaced students. Later that morning, around 7 a.m., our apartment also caught fire.”
The six Sigma Kappas are now being housed at Hillel, 21 Mill St., after student volunteers came together to make the upstairs of the house more livable for the girls, said Jemma Marens, a sophomore studying pre-social work. Mattresses were donated by the university.
Hillel tabled and received donations so the students will be able to purchase items that have not been donated.
“A core tenet of Judaism is to welcome those in need and to open our homes to the homeless. We’re grateful for our large building on Mill Street, and even more grateful that we’re in a position to offer students a place to call home while they’re struggling through this trauma,” said Rabbi Danielle Leshaw of Hillel at OU.
In light of the fire, Sigma Kappa’s executive vice president junior Anna Sullivan started a GoFundMe campaign entitled “Sigma Kappa Senior Fire Relief,” which emerged online around 10 p.m. Sunday night. The online fundraiser looks to raise $10,000 for Sigma Kappa’s six affected members. A total of $8,142 from over 200 unique donations had been raised as of press time.
“I think that the page and the rapid amount of incoming donations can be seen as a way that our community supports one another, and how that community is not just limited to Ohio University,” said Kristen Kardas, assistant director for greek life.
The GoFundMe account specifically benefits the Sigma Kappas, but there’s a need for greek life to try to fundraise for its members, said Pi Beta Phi president Andrea Nelson.
“We are coming together to donate money, clothing and other items that are needed to help members within our community in this hard time,” Nelson said. “It is difficult times like these that the strength and support of our greek community really shines.”
Already closing in on their donation goal on GoFundMe, Sigma Kappa president Alexandria Kreutler hopes the recovery period will be a brief one.
“We only hope that we can continue to work towards our goal of $10k in hopes of getting the women back to being comfortable as soon as possible,” Kreutler said in an email.
Hillel is proud to provide a home for as long as needed for the girls, said Lauren Goldberg, assistant director of Hillel.
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