Campus may donate to disaster relief for Oso mudslide

A donation fund has been set up through the state Combined Fund Drive to allow the Western Washington University community to donate to disaster relief for those affected by the Oso mudslide.

Western President Bruce Shepard sent a message on the effort to the campus community Tuesday:

Dear Colleagues,

Like you, Cyndie and I have been transfixed by the tragic images of destruction and suffering resulting from the massive mudslide in the small community of Oso, along the North Fork of the Stillaguamish River. As of this writing, 14 are confirmed dead, and 176 of our fellow citizens and neighbors are reported missing. For those who are personally dealing with the aftermath of these awful events, or have friends and loved ones doing so, the heartfelt thoughts and prayers of the Western campus community are with you.

At times like these it is natural to feel overwhelmed by grief, shock and a sense of powerlessness. But you who are Western know the power we all have to make a positive difference in the lives of others. As the rescue crews continue their heavy work and the citizens of Oso contemplate rebuilding their community, we all have a simple and direct opportunity to make that difference by donating to disaster relief.

In response to this devastating incident, the Combined Fund Drive has put together a special campaign for those affected by the slide. To be a part of the campaign, charities must be a current CFD member and provide a written account of their relief efforts on the ground. For this one time, anyone affiliated with Western (employees, students, alumni, parents, community members) can make a credit card donation through this state workplace giving program.

For more information on which charities are currently involved, simply visit the Mudslide Relief Campaign website: http://www.cfd.wa.gov/cfd/Mudslide-Relief-Campaign.aspx.

Or, to start giving right away, visit https://www.sos.wa.gov/cfd/contribution-form.aspx, select Mudslide Relief Campaign in the dropdown menu, and Western Washington University as the agency in the donor information section.

I hope you will consider joining Cyndie and me in putting your compassion into action through giving to one or more of these charities. Whatever you are able to give will go a long way to help the recovery effort.

Sincerely,

Bruce Shepard