Fans donate $270,981 at football game
By MARIBEL MOREY
Assistant News Editor
The 80,795 fans in the Stadium Saturday for the Notre Dame-Michigan State game raised $270,981 for the families of the fire fighters and policemen who passed away after the World Trade Center's terrorist attacks.
Blue recycling bins substituted as collection baskets and fans turned their attention from the first quarter score to their own wallets.
"People definitely wanted to help out and when the opportunity presented itself, they really came through" said Jonathan Jorissen, chief of staff for the office of the president.
With more than 80,000 people in one area, Jorissen believed the potential to raise this amount of money would be great. Once the student volunteers collected bags of money after the first quarter, a group of 20 students remained sorting the money for the rest of the game. "We sorted it in like piles and it took four and a half hours [to complete that]," said Jorissen. "The bank actually did the counting."
Jorissen and Flores agree that they had no expectations.
"We were just going to be grateful for what we got," said Jesse Flores, Carroll Hall senator. "[The money] is going to help a lot of people."
Some had expected the sum to reach half a million dollars, but "that's what people were saying when they saw the piles of money in the room," said Jorissen. "It seemed like a lot."
Keough senator John Cannon agreed.
"It was overwhelming to see all the bills coming in. Seeing all that money made it appear much larger than it really was," he said.
The $270,981 combined with the $40,000 or more that the University has raised pushes the contribution to over $300,000.
In an effort to help the victims of the attacks, the police officers and the firefighters were selected to receive the money.
"It's one thing to have been in the building and to have been one of the casualties and it's another to risk your life and leave your family to save someone else's," said Flores.
After so many innocent people lost their own lives, the Notre Dame community sought to make a difference in some way.
"A number of students and faculty had voiced a desire to help with the relief efforts in some way," said Jorissen.
Student government teamed up with Father Mark Poorman, vice president for student affairs, and Father Richard Warner, director of campus ministry, who had already started a fund for the firefighters and police officers.
"We were seeking to find a way to steer the University. We were trying to find a powerful and fitting way for the Notre Dame family to demonstrate its support and gratitude for our nation's heroes," said Cannon. "And we just wanted to do that as a collective whole — everyone in the Notre Dame family."
Student government and University officials met the Tuesday before the game and needed to find volunteers within 24 hours, with three days for planning.
"Almost 400 students volunteered — way above the 300 student volunteers we needed," he said.
"It was so awesome that so many people were willing to help especially with such a short notice," said Flores.
Along with Warner and Poorman, student government was able to create venues for people to donate money and make an impact. The Sunday vigil and the collection baskets during basilica masses complimented Saturday's effort to raise money during the game.
"We're very happy with this and we certainly will be able to make a difference," said Jorissen.
Although student government is going to keep looking for ways to aide with the victims in New York and Washington, there are no plans as of yet for other future projects, said Cannon.
All News Stories for Wednesday, September 26, 2001
