Spring Break
Student Union raising money to help rebuild Mass. Church
by Alana Abramson
Staff writer
News | 1/27/09
Posted online at 6:15 AM EST on 1/27/09
The Student Union is taking part in a two-week fundraiser to raise monetary contributions to help rebuild the Macedonia Church of God in Christ, a predominantly African-American church in Springfield, Mass. that burned down on election night in what was thought to be an act of racism, according to Student Union Director of Communications Jamie Ansorge '09.
Brandeis students became involved in the effort to rebuild the church when a friend of the University wrote a letter to President Jehuda Reinharz urging students to respond to this act and to help the church rebuild, Ansorge wrote in the Union's press release.
According to the press release, Reinharz sent the letter to Student Union President Jason Gray '10 and asked him to organize a student effort.
Ansorge said that the Student Union wanted to run a relief effort similar to the one they organized for the victims of Hurricanes Gustav, Hanna and Ike last September, for which the Student Union raised over $5,000.
Union Director of Campus Advocacy Andrew Hogan '11, who is spearheading the fundraising efforts, said that he spoke with Bryant Robinson Jr., the bishop of the Macedonian church, who told him that monetary contributions would be the most effective way to help at this time.
"The bishop said that donations have been pouring in from across the country, but that any monetary contributions would be effective, as [it will contribute] millions of dollars to rebuild the church," Hogan said.
"If an individual wants to support us, the best way to do it is through a financial contribution," Bishop Robinson said in an interview with the Justice. Robinson also said he was unsure how much money the church would raise or how much had been raised so far.
There are two main aspects of the relief effort, Hogan explained. Since beginning of their tabling efforts at the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial event Jan. 19, at which Hogan said they raised the "bulk of the money so far," the Student Union has been tabling in Usdan Student Center every day for two hours.
Brandeis students became involved in the effort to rebuild the church when a friend of the University wrote a letter to President Jehuda Reinharz urging students to respond to this act and to help the church rebuild, Ansorge wrote in the Union's press release.
According to the press release, Reinharz sent the letter to Student Union President Jason Gray '10 and asked him to organize a student effort.
Ansorge said that the Student Union wanted to run a relief effort similar to the one they organized for the victims of Hurricanes Gustav, Hanna and Ike last September, for which the Student Union raised over $5,000.
Union Director of Campus Advocacy Andrew Hogan '11, who is spearheading the fundraising efforts, said that he spoke with Bryant Robinson Jr., the bishop of the Macedonian church, who told him that monetary contributions would be the most effective way to help at this time.
"The bishop said that donations have been pouring in from across the country, but that any monetary contributions would be effective, as [it will contribute] millions of dollars to rebuild the church," Hogan said.
"If an individual wants to support us, the best way to do it is through a financial contribution," Bishop Robinson said in an interview with the Justice. Robinson also said he was unsure how much money the church would raise or how much had been raised so far.
There are two main aspects of the relief effort, Hogan explained. Since beginning of their tabling efforts at the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial event Jan. 19, at which Hogan said they raised the "bulk of the money so far," the Student Union has been tabling in Usdan Student Center every day for two hours.
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