Sept. 27, 2004

Union students assist with tornado clean-up

LINCOLN—In August, Union College students volunteered at four farms outside of Clatonia, Neb., helping with tornado damage clean up. On Sept. 25, Union students went to Hallam, Neb., to assist residents there.
        Rich Carlson, Union’s campus chaplain, volunteered as a police chaplain during the initial days following the tornado devastation in Hallam on May 22. “The devastation was immense but the community support was equally phenomenal,” Carlson said. “We want the residents of Hallam to know the students of Union College still care.”
        A group of more than 30 students spent the afternoon doing yard work and cleaning the town’s main auditorium. “When we went to the farms in August, Union students realized how many people were still suffering because of the tornados,” said Jesse Proctor, Union’s student volunteer coordinator. “We saw that there was still a need for help, and that’s why we wanted to go back.”
        The August outing was part of Project Impact, Union’s annual community service day. This year on Project Impact day, a record number of 700 students, staff and faculty worked at 51 sites around Lincoln, giving 3,500 volunteer hours.