This Week @ AU

An Auburn University professor in the College of Agriculture who was on the ground during the massive earthquake that devastated Haiti and who provided medical care to many of the victims presented a seminar about his experience on Friday, Jan. 22. This seminar is available for viewing at AU iTunes. Dennis Shannon, professor of agronomy and soils, arrived in Haiti the day before the earthquake struck and was standing in his hotel lobby when the tremors began. Shannon, a U.S. Department of Agriculture economist and two University of Florida agronomists were in the country to work on a food security initiative for the U.S. Department of State. The details of his experience in Haiti, as well as his thoughts on what should be done in the immediate and long-term future to help the Haitian people recover, were included in his presentation.  You can find Shannon's seminar by following these steps: Click this link, click on Distance Learning and Outreach Technology, select Presentations, select Faculty Presentations and there you will find Shannon's seminar. If you have questions, contact Leslie Keeler in Distance Learning at lak0007@auburn.edu.

A group of Auburn University students is coordinating a dinner, “ A Meal to Heal for Haiti,” in support of the Lee County chapter of the American Red Cross to help in the Haiti relief efforts. The dinner will be held Feb. 1 in the Student Center ballroom. A home-cooked dinner is being prepared courtesy of Pannie George’s, a local Auburn business.  Only 2,000 meals are being prepared. Tickets for the meal are $5, with all proceeds going to the American Red Cross’ International Relief Fund in support of disasters like the recent earthquakes in Haiti. Due to the high volume of expected ticket sales and limited seating, the event will occur in one night at four separate seating times. There will be 500 tickets sold for each meal time. The meal times are 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.; 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.; 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.; and 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are expected to sell out, so students, faculty and the community are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance. You may purchase tickets online at this link.  Members will be selling tickets throughout the Auburn campus beginning Thursday, Jan. 21. Organizations eligible for spirit points will receive three spirit points for each ticket sold. If you are interested in volunteering or making a contribution for “A Meal to Heal for Haiti,” contact Nicole Nero at nicole@auburn.edu or by calling 749-9981.

The Committee of 19, Auburn University's student leadership group for the War on Hunger, is donating $15,000 to the United Nations World Food Programme for Haiti relief. The money was collected over the past 18 months through various fundraisers by Auburn's individual schools, colleges and organizations, as well as campus-wide activities. The World Food Programme, or WFP, is the largest humanitarian agency in the world, feeding on average over 90 million people in 82 countries annually. As a first responder in the current crisis, WFP is attempting to bring weekly rations to more than 2 million people in Haiti over the next few weeks. The latest donation by the Committee of 19 brings the total amount contributed to WFP as a result of the Auburn University War on Hunger to $45,000. The entire news release can be read at this link. For more information on the War on Hunger student campaign, go to this link.