(February 15, 2005) ?C The Fordham University men??s and women??s basketball programs will help raise funds for the victims of the December tsunami by donating the proceeds of both of their Rhode Island home games to the Tsunami Relief Fund set up by the university. The men play Rhode Island on Sunday, February 20th at 2:00 p.m. while the women will host Rhode Island on Thursday, February 24th at 7:00 p.m. Both games will be played in the Rose Hill Gym.
The Athletic Department will donate the gate receipts to the fund as well as accept donations at the games.
The endeavor is part of the university??s effort to raise $50,000 for the relief efforts. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of Fordham University, has launched a $50,000 fundraising campaign to benefit victims of the December tsunami. He??s promised $25,000 from the President??s Discretionary Fund and is encouraging students and staff to match that amount by March 1. In addition, money collected from weekend eucharists through the end of February will be donated to tsunami aid.
All of the money raised on campus will be sent to Jesuit Refugee Services and Catholic Relief Services with the request that the donations be used by their relief workers to assist people in the affected nations.
??Even as we gear up for the challenges of the new term,?? said Father McShane in an email to the University community, ??our hearts continue to ache as we remember the tragic events that unfolded on Dec. 26 when the forces of nature devastated the lives of so many of our brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India, the Maldives, Thailand and Somalia.??
