The headlines that hit home
2009: Year of the Swine
Though the H1N1 virus swept across North Carolina in 2009-2010, killing 79 in February alone, Methodist University only had two minor cases of H1N1.
Any students showing any signs of the flu—coughing, sneezing, runny nose, fever, etc. were sent to Methodist Health Center controlled by Ron Foster, medical officer of Methodist University, and Sandy Combs, director of Student Health, to undergo testing. Students with any of these symptoms were sent home immediately and students who could not go home were put into isolation rooms, in the Pines Apartments.
“Methodist had wonderful policies about students being excused with the flu,” said Combs.
The Health Center met with the local health department and the hospital at Fort Bragg and began offering vaccinations in October. Clinics were set up to offer students a free vaccination in the Berns Student Center and in the Green and Gold Café three different times. Free vaccinations were also available in the Health Services office at anytime. Hand sanitizer dispensers were installed in all of the buildings for students to use and security published a handout card on what symptoms to look for.
“I got my shot in October and I’m thinking about getting it again,” said Foster.
Because of the measures taken to prevent the spread of H1N1, Methodist has seen an unusually healthy year said Combs.
Despite the optimistic outlook, allergy season tends to cause a spike in flu cases. Since Methodist is located in one of the worst areas in the nation for seasonal allergies, and precautions against the H1N1 flu will continue as summer approaches.
2010 rocked the world
Since the beginning of 2010 the world has seen quite a bit of devastating seismic activity. The earthquakes began in January where a 7.0 magnitude quake struck Haiti, followed by 8.8 quake in Chile on February 27, and most recently a 7.4 magnitude quake on April 4. Due to the close proximity of all three earthquakes the Methodist University Campus Ministries has planned to start collecting an offering every Wednesday in Chapel starting in the fall semester of 2010. All of the funds raised will go to support international crises.
Haiti
Destruction and chaos filled Haiti after a 7.0 earthquake struck on Tuesday, Jan. 12. The earthquake began at approximately 4:53 p.m. and tremors were felt for many days following. The quake triggered tsunamis which were felt in the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, southern parts of Florida, northern Colombia, western Venezuela and in many more countries. Haiti is located in the western part of the island of Hispaniola, which is one of the Great Antilles islands, and sits between the countries of Puerto Rico and Cuba.
Various organizations around Methodist’s campus worked together to raise money and necessary supplies for Haiti. Campus Ministries worked with the Economics Anonymous club and was able to raise $1500 to send to Haiti. The raised the money through bake sales and pickle jars where people could leave money. The idea of the pickle jars came from one of the students in Campus Ministries.
“Initially it was just the fact that a lot of groups were doing fundraisers in support of the incidents that occurred with Haiti and I thought it would be a good idea to do something associated with Campus Ministries,” said Stephen Perry, a freshman. “I know not everyone is willing to donate a large sum of money but people have spare change on them and one thing my dad and I have always done is put our spare change in pickle jars. I figured it would be a good idea to have different stations where people could put their change in pickle jars.”
The International Department made kits with toothbrushes, tooth paste, nail clippers, soap, wash cloths, and hand towels to send to Haiti with the goal of making 50 kits. The International Department also did a fund raiser for Haiti, at the last pep rally and was able to raise $300 in one hour to send to Haiti. They also teamed up with the Economics Anonymous Club and gave all the money they raised to the Red Cross to fund resources needed in Haiti.
All of the organizations on campus also worked with the United Methodist Committee on Relief in order to help Haiti.
Chile
Shortly following the devastating earthquake in Haiti an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck Chile. The epicenter of the earthquake was approximately 70 miles from Concepcion which is Chile’s second-largest city. This earthquake was felt throughout Chile and in many parts of Argentina, along with parts of Bolivia, southern Brazil, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. Tsunamis were triggered putting many countries in the Pacific Ocean on alert. One of the tsunamis hit San Diego, California and caused minor damage to boats and docks there.
Jose Saihueque is a sophomore here at Methodist and is from Curico, Chile. Saihueque lives about two and a half hours away from the epicenter of the quake and while Curico did suffer damage in some areas his family was fine.
“I finally got to talk to them two weeks after the earthquake,” said Saihueque. “When I heard that they were okay, I was the happiest man alive. I was so worried when I heard where it was.”
Since then Saihueque said that his brother has written to him and a friend of Saihueque’s helped him contact his family by phone a few times.
The Economics Anonymous and International Department teamed up again to raise funds and awareness for the earthquake in Chile and the International Department plans to host a dinner, at Chris’s House, where people can pay $2 and get a plate of various international foods. All of the money raised at this will go to Chile.
California and Indonesia
In the last week there was also a 7.2 earthquake in Mexico and a 7.7 earthquake in Indonesia.
The epicenter of the earthquake on Apr. 4 was in the northern part of Baja California, Mexico (approximately 40 miles south of the Mexico-United States border). The quake was felt as far north as Los Angeles.
One of smallTALK’s photographers, Sung Kim, is from Los Angeles, Calif. Kim is a sophomore and communications major.
“I talked to my mom and she said everything was okay,” said Kim.
The quake on Apr. 6, was centered just off the coast of Indonesia’s island of Sumatra. Tsumani warnings triggered widespread panic as residents recalled the devastating tsunami of 2004 which killed more than 200,000 people.
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