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October 3, 2008

President Cofer thanks ULM family for volunteer efforts

ULM President James Cofer expressed his appreciation Thursday during a special reception for the more than 200 faculty, staff and students who volunteered during Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Ike.

Approximately 150 of the volunteers attended the reception, which was held in the Student Union Building Ballroom.

Of ULM’s extraordinary volunteer efforts, Cofer said: “I realize that many of the activities that you participated in August and September may have been dangerous, may have been hazardous, and most times really uncomfortable. I think that says a lot about the kind of students and faculty and staff that we have on this campus—that they are willing to volunteer in the worst of circumstances to help those who are most in need.

“Once again, thank you so much for everything you do with this campus. As I’ve said many times before, these kinds of efforts make all of us at ULM proud to be here, and we really, really appreciate it. Thank you.”

A few of ULM’s volunteer efforts include:

• Nursing and Pharmacy faculty, staff and students worked around-the-clock at the Special Needs Shelter in Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
  
  
• College of Health Sciences faculty and students, including those from Radiological Technology, Dental Hygiene, Occupational Therapy and Speech Pathology, volunteered at the shelter in the former State Farming Building and at the shelter in the Monroe Civic Center.
  
  
• Louisiana’s state-wide pharmaceutical care response team, which includes ULM College of Pharmacy, faculty, staff and students, filled more than 480 prescriptions in one day for evacuee shelters in Monroe and Bastrop.
  
  
• ULM faculty, staff and students donated toiletries, linens and Ace’s Adventures activity books to the Special Needs Shelter in Fant-Ewing Coliseum
  
  
• Volunteers from Delta Sigma Theta, Omega Psi Phi, Pi Kappa Alpha, Phi Beta Sigma, and other organizations assisted with transportation coordination, triage sign-ups, stocking and distributing supplies, and more
  
  
• Students and faculty from ULM’s Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy program, along with counselors from the ULM Counseling Center, provided mental health care to evacuees throughout Monroe.

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