Press Releases

September 18, 2001
Southampton College Aids World Trade Center Disaster Relief Effort

Contact:
Darren Johnson
(631) 287 8313
Fax: (631) 283 4081

The Southampton College community joined in relief efforts at the World Trade Center last week, donating over 100 All For The Sea concert T-shirts and protective goggles that are normally used in the College's science labs. On campus, prayer vigils were held, a counseling center was opened for those suffering from the tragedy in the student union and Long Island's Public Radio Station, WPBX 88.3 FM, devoted daily coverage to the event. Students, faculty and staff also donated blood.

Learning of the need for protective goggles among city rescue workers, lab technician Kristin Zaffuto and secretary Eileen Corcoran, with the go ahead from new Dean James Larocca, gathered what extra goggles were available and ordered 72 more sets from the College's supplier, Fisher Scientific. Upon receiving the order and hearing what it was for, Fisher Scientific donated the goggles free of charge.

WPBX 88.3 FM gave all day coverage to the disaster in the days following it, with commentator Bonnie Grice and MFA in Writing Professor and Time essayist Roger Rosenblatt fielding phone calls from local residents who were angry and distraught.

Hearing that emergency workers in the city needed changes of T-shirts, alumni director Carol Gilbert with graduate student assistant Bridget O'Keefe teamed with Philip Forman, a 1974 Southampton College graduate and owner of Fletcher's Sweet Shop in Southampton, in getting 100 T-shirts from recent All For The Sea concerts to the city. Fletcher's became an area drop-off point for other donated supplies, as well.