9/11 Committee Focuses On Benefits

The 9/11 Relief Committee, organized shortly after the attacks, meets weekly to formulate ideas to benefit the campus community and the world.

The committee's ultimate goal is to establish a chapter of the American Red Cross at the University. "It will provide a more direct link to the students," said Raj Panjabi, Campus Y co-president. Panjabi said Maneesha Agarwal, who is leading the 9/11 Relief Committee, currently is in discussion with the director of the Orange County chapter about how the goal can be accomplished.

Agarwal said the committee also hopes to promote the Points for Pints contest. The contest is between universities to see which can collect the most blood. She said the committee hopes to organize a few blood drives in the upcoming months.

Other goals of the committee include organizing a benefit concert and a care package drive for the victims of the attacks.

Agarwal said the care package drive should be up and running by the end of November in order to capitalize on the holiday spirit.

Agarwal said the committee will try to target freshmen and give them the chance to make a positive contribution to society. She said this could help overcome a drop in volunteerism the committee is expecting.

"People are always willing to help, but the level of time commitment has gone down since Sept. 11," she said. "People will think it's a somber affair to help out."

Agarwal said she is confident the committee will overcome these issues in the long run. "I think it can be really successful," she said.

The committee also organized, in conjunction with the Young Democrats, the sale of the "UNC for USA" T-shirts. Half of the proceeds will go to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a group working to protect Muslim-Americans from hate crimes.

The other half will benefit the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund that will distribute college scholarships to children whose parents were affected in Washington, D.C., New York and Pennsylvania.

The $10 T-shirts can be purchased at the Campus Y building or by contacting Agarwal.

Also in the works is an event about bioterrorism that will educate students about the threat and allow them to voice their concerns. The committee plans to stage the conference in the next two weeks.

The Campus Y also is distributing "Islam Means Peace" buttons to continue the efforts that began with the Islamic solidarity gathering Oct. 10. Both the gathering and the buttons were meant to better educate people about the Muslim religion.

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.