Grad student leads Kosovo refugee donation effort

"A lot of people are always asking 'How can I help?,'" said Daniel Featherston, an English graduate student. "The university is a large human resource. I approached them (the Red Cross) as a largely, humanitarian gesture."

The English department has collected about donations for about a week, said Penny Gates, a University of Arizona administrative secretary who is in charge of gathering donations.

To date, 12 faculty and staff members have donated about $425 to the fund, she said.

"I'm a little disappointed by the reaction so far," Gates said. "I hope that added publicity will help us collect more money for the fund."

The money goes directly to the American Red Cross, which has provided more than $35 million in humanitarian assistance to Muslims, Serbs and Croats since 1993.

To help meet the refugees' immediate needs for food, clothing, shelter and medical attention, the American Red Cross is cooperating with international organizations to assure that supplies reach the ethnic Albanians.

Tom Miller, an English department composition director who donated to the fund, said Americans need to provide Kosovars with the basics for survival.

"We share a responsibility to help the hundreds of thousands of refugees that are living in tents and eating out of cans," he said.

Miller expressed concern that the cost of continuing the war is not being discussed in the media.

"The financial investment of keeping a war running isn't being discussed," said. "I think we need to learn more about why the Europeans are more unwilling to get involved."

Despite the portrayal of NATO objectives in the media, Featherston said the need to help the refugees remains.

"People see Kosovo in the media and they don't know how to react," Featherston said. "My goal is to provide relief for the refugees of Kosovo."

He said anyone interested in donating to the fund can drop off checks in Modern Languages 380.

In order for funds to reach the correct destination, it is important that people write "Yugoslav Kosovo Refugees" in the check's memo section, Featherston said.

"We will continue to take donations through the duration of the semester," Featherston said. "And depending on the length of the Kosovo crisis, we will take donations through the summer."

Those interested in contacting the American Red Cross directly should call 1-800-HELP-NOW and ask for information on the Red Cross' International Response Fund.