Michael Huff stands with a local supporter of “SupPort-au-Prince” (Jason Sansone)
SMU students raised $5,000 toward relief for Haiti at a cross graduate mixer attended by nearly 300 students and other Dallas citizens. The crowd was dense on the patio at Sambuca, where all ticket sales went directly to Haitian relief.
Eugene Cook and Erin Callahan, SMU business and law graduate students, organized the mixer as the beginning of a two to three week fund-raising campaign, working with all graduate programs, which will conclude with a closing event.
In January, Cook and Lance Kennedy, an SMU law student, chartered a plane, through private donations, to deliver food and supplies to Haiti. Kennedy, who starts SMU Dedman School of Law in the fall, spent six days in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
“The smell of death is everywhere,” Kennedy said.
He estimated 90 percent of the buildings in downtown Port-au-Prince were destroyed, where 150,000 bodies have been buried and 200,000 are still in need of burial.
While he was in Haiti, Kennedy witnessed several amputations performed without anesthesia.
Cook mentioned Kennedy’s observation of one woman’s amputation. She screamed until she passed out, revived and screamed again until she passed out a second time.
Part of the supplies the fundraiser brought included 150 vials of Lidocaine, a local anesthetic, “to alleviate that pain,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy also delivered a family-size tent and other supplies to the family of Erreka Campbell, a student of SMU Dedman School of Law. Campbell said she normally would not ask for assistance, but felt she would be cheating her family if she did not. So, she sent an e-mail to her friends and Cook contacted Kennedy on her behalf.
“I think its great when people who don’t really know each other help out,” Campbell said.
While Kennedy was in Haiti, Callahan and Cook organized fund-raising efforts at SMU. Callahan received e-mails from numerous people who wanted to help in some way. She consolidated the information into one e-mail and sent it to students to bring everyone in on the cause. Callahan said Campbell was her inspiration for organizing the fundraiser.
“It’s an amazing blessing to be able to touch someone’s life here on campus,” Cook said.
Callahan and Cook decided to host a cross graduate mixer when they found out SMU had not held one previously: Heart Beats for Haiti did not appeal to nor reach out to graduate students. Cook said he thought it was a good idea for the grad students to fundraise because they tend to have more resources and connections to the community.
Oakland Raiders Safety Michael Huff, donated autographed sports memorabilia that was raffled at the mixer along with other prizes. Sambuca donated food and space for the fundraiser and various companies donated the prizes, including Kaplan, which donated a free law review course.
Risa Rennet and Emily Pollitt, both graduate students in the Cox School of Business, said they went to the mixer to meet new people and show their support. Pollitt said the event was an enjoyable end to the day and the week. Rennet said she was impressed Cook put together the event in less than two weeks. “It’s good to know we can come together quickly for a good cause,” Rennet said.
Callahan said students of the Perkins School of Theology planned a candlelight vigil Feb. 12 at 2:30 p.m. in front of Dallas Hall. She said it was something Perkins students wanted to do to contribute to the joint effort.
“It is an opportunity for students to contribute who don’t have money,” Callahan said.
To join the efforts, visit supportauprince.com.
