Baylor Response to Tragic Events in City of West

April 18, 2013

LATEST BAYLOR UPDATE: 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 19, 2013: Blood Drive TODAY on the Baylor Campus
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Contact: Lori Fogleman, (254) 710-6275 or cell 254-709-5959

WACO, Texas (April 19, 2013) -- In response to calls for life-saving blood donations, Baylor University and Carter BloodCare will have a campus-wide blood drive today beginning at 10:30 a.m. on the Baylor campus.

Two Carter BloodCare donation buses will be located on Fifth Street by Marrs McLean Gym and the Vara Martin Daniel Plaza.

Central Texas residents lined up for hours yesterday at local blood drives to aid hospitals treating those injured in Wednesday's fertilizer plant explosion in West. The need for blood donations continues, and we are thankful that Carter BloodCare will be able to host a drive on the Baylor campus today.

Thank you for helping save lives by donating blood if you are able.

LATEST BAYLOR UPDATE: 5:55 p.m. Thursday, April 18, 2013: Baylor President Ken Starr Letter to Baylor Nation on Devastation in West, Texas

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Contact: Lori Fogleman, (254) 710-6275 or cell 254-709-5959

From Baylor President Ken Starr:
Just 17 miles from our beautiful campus, lives have been taken, people have been injured and homes have been lost. Baylor students, faculty, staff and alumni have been personally impacted by the horrific devastation in our neighboring community of West -- home to 13 of our students, 43 of our faculty and staff and 262 of our alumni. We continue with sorrow to be in prayer for these members of the Baylor family whose lives have been disrupted by this disaster so suddenly.

But on this day, Diadeloso, the Day of the Bear, we are seeing our community rise up to demonstrate what it means to be a Baylor Bear. Throughout the United States, citizens of Baylor Nation are heading to blood banks; making monetary gifts online to support emergency relief efforts; and providing basic supplies to meet the needs of daily life -- to help feed, clothe and comfort our friends and neighbors. On Diadeloso, a day of tradition for our University, Baylor Nation is choosing to embody an even greater tradition -- that inspired by Christ Jesus to be energetically in service to the needy.

In the wake of the Boston and West tragedies this week, an ever-increasing need exists for blood donations. That is now true all across the nation. Please respond to this need.

Those wishing to make gifts of monetary support to the West Relief Fund may do so through an online giving portal on the Baylor University website: www.baylor.edu/relief/give. The portal may also be accessed from our webpage established last evening to keep the University community informed of emergency relief efforts and opportunities: www.baylor.edu/relief. As of 5:30 p.m. today, we have received about 200 online donations totaling nearly $15,000 for the West Relief Fund. Thank you, Baylor Nation.

Locally, donations for relief efforts in West will be collected at tonight's free benefit concert at the Ferrell Center featuring the musical group, Five for Fighting. If you are able, please consider participating in this concluding event of Diadeloso.

Over the course of the coming days, the immediacy associated with the devastation in West will pass. But the need will remain significant as our friends and neighbors begin the lengthy process of restoring lives shaken by this disaster. May we who are part of the community of faith at Baylor University remain steadfast in our support for the people of West and, through prayer and practice, continue to reflect the light of Christ.

UPDATE: 1:25 p.m. Thursday, April 18, 2013: Baylor Students, Faculty and Staff from West, Ways to Give, Dia Concert to Benefit West Relief

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Media Contact: Lori Fogleman, (254) 710-6275 or cell 254-709-5959

To our Baylor community:

We have seen a great outpouring of support as members of the Baylor community continue to pray for and seek meaningful ways to help care for those impacted by the terrible tragedy in West.

Our Own Faculty, Staff and Students from West

Baylor has 43 faculty and staff, 13 students and 262 alumni who live in West. Our Human Resources department has been active this morning personally calling to check on all faculty and staff who may have been impacted by the tragedy in West, while Student Life is contacting students who live in West. Our Division of Constituent Engagement has reached out to our alumni in the area. Please continue to pray for the beloved community of West and for all the members of our Baylor family who have been affected by this disaster.

We remain in touch with emergency response teams and have identified a number of ways in which our community can be helpful during this time of great need:

Blood Donations

The urgent need is for blood donations of all blood types and platelets, but please be aware that the response today has been overwhelming. However, the need for blood donations will continue in the coming days. In our area, the following locations are seeking blood donors:
• Waco Community Blood Drive
1 to 6 p.m. Friday, April 19
Extraco Events Center/Creative Arts Building, 4601 Bosque Blvd., Waco, TX 76710
• Carter BloodCare Waco Donor Center, 4332 W. Waco Dr.
• Providence Hospital, 6901 Medical Pkwy, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. today
• Scott & White Blood Center, 2401 S. 31st St, Temple, www.sw.org/blood-center/blood-center-landing

Ways to Give

This afternoon, Student Life will staff a Bear Trailer on Fifth Street to collect specific items of greatest need: toothpaste, water bottles, baby formula, diapers, shampoo, conditioner, gently used clothing of all sizes, deodorant, clean towels and blankets, personal hygiene products, shoes and items for children.

Those wishing to make gifts of monetary support to the West Relief Fund may do so through an on-line giving portal on the Baylor University website: www.baylor.edu/relief/give.

Dia Concert Moved to Ferrell Center, Benefits West Relief Efforts

Tonight's Diadeloso concert featuring Five for Fighting and Green River Ordinance - originally scheduled for Fountain Mall on the Baylor campus - has been moved to the Ferrell Center, where donations will be accepted to benefit families affected by the devastation in West. The event is free and open to the public.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The Fort Worth-based band Green River Ordinance will begin its performance at 7 p.m., followed by Five for Fighting at 8 p.m.

Five for Fighting's 2001 hit "Superman (It's Not Easy)" became an anthem after the attacks of September 11 on the World Trade Center and was performed by Five for Fighting at The Concert for New York City in late 2001.

Cash donations are welcome to support relief efforts in West. Concession stands will be open and will donate $1 for every item sold.

In addition, Caritas will have two trucks on site to collect donated items of greatest need: toothpaste, water bottles, baby formula, diapers, shampoo, conditioner, gently used clothing of all sizes, deodorant, clean towels and blankets, personal hygiene products, shoes and items for children.

The Ferrell Center is located at 1900 S. University Parks Drive at LaSalle Avenue in Waco.

UPDATE: 8:50 a.m. Thursday, April 18, 2013 - 10 a.m. time of prayer, Dia delay

Faculty, Staff and Students,

In light of the events in West last night, Baylor University will delay the beginning of Diadeloso to honor those whose lives have been affected by the tragedy.

A time of prayer for the Baylor community will be held in Barfield Drawing Room in the Bill Daniel Student Center from 10-11 a.m. this morning. All members of the Baylor community are welcome to attend. Staff wishing to attend the prayer service are free to participate after having spoken with their supervisors.

Please also note that Noon Meal for faculty, staff and students will be moved from Burleson Quadrangle to Penland Dining Hall due to the inclement weather. All other Diadeloso activities will resume as planned at noon today. Please reference the Diadeloso website at www.baylor.edu/diadeloso for more information and an updated schedule.

Baylor University has set up a website at www.baylor.edu/relief to provide more information about how the Baylor community can assist our friends and neighbors in West. Please continue to pray for the city and all those affected by this terrible tragedy.

11:34 p.m. Wednesday, April 17, 2013

To the campus community:

The explosions tonight in West have shocked and saddened us all. We are eager to be of assistance.

Baylor is a cooperating organization with the McLennan County Office of Emergency Management, and we are prepared to provide services to those affected by this emergency. We remain in contact with emergency responders from the County, and also with local emergency response organizations. We will notify the campus community of any forthcoming requests for University assistance.

Local hospitals tonight have publicly identified the need for blood donations tomorrow. Please check with agencies if you wish to donate blood.

We continue in prayer this evening for all those impacted by this crisis, including those within the Baylor family.

Baylor University has set up a website at www.baylor.edu/relief to provide more information about how the Baylor community can assist our friends and neighbors in West.