Bloomsburg Community Rallies Around Fire Victims

            The downtown fire that occurred on Oct. 25 has spurred Governor Ed Rendell to ask the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), this past Tuesday, to declare Columbia County a disaster area.

            “Our first responders and emergency officials responded quickly and saved lives and other properties, and the financial assistance that I'm requesting would help victims replace what they have lost," Rendell said in an article on FoxBusiness.com.  If the disaster declaration is granted, the SBA would provide up to $200,000 of low-interest loans to eligible homeowners, so they can repair or replace damaged real estate. "This devastating fire has left dozens of people with few or no possessions and I am very sorry for all their losses," Rendell said.

            Dan Knorr, mayor of Bloomsburg, reflected on the emergency relief process and thought that “everything went pretty smoothly.”  He was also pleased with the way President Dr. David Soltz was able to quickly reassure the student victims of the fire that they would receive the relief that they need. 

The students affected by the fire have been able to rebuild their lives through donations from a multitude of sources in community.

            “The Red Cross certainly stepped in and helped out immensely,” said Knorr.  He said that the Red Cross is also helping most students find new apartments off campus to live in permanently.  The Red Cross supplied students with emergency kits including toiletries, along with vouchers, which are like debit cards, so students could buy new clothing, groceries, and other living necessities.

            Community aid also came from AGAPE, a ministry non-profit organization in Bloomsburg, which provided space for storing clothes and other household items to be given to the students, according to AGAPE President Eileen Chapman.  The Columbia County Emergency Management office has provided disaster assistance and helped replace driver’s licenses, birth certificates, and other documents the students may need, according to Soltz.

            Additional community support came from a local Boy Scout troop, pack 6 of Berwick; landlords have offered apartments, and local churches: Glad Tidings who supplied relief packages for victims, the Wesley United Methodist Church, and the Good Sheppard United Methodist Church.

            “The community has been amazing,” Red Cross, Bloomsburg Chapter, Executive Director Rita Inklovich said.  “I know that sometimes there can be separation between the community and the college, but in this case the community has really stepped in, they’ve been wonderful.” 

            “I was just happy for, not just the students, but the other people affected, that the community came together and that was important,” Knorr said.  “I thought overall it was a success, as much as it could be in a situation like that.”

            On the university’s campus there has been support for the students from many groups including Residence Life, which temporarily housed students; Aramark provided funds for meals, the CGA gave funds to students to rent textbooks, as well as any other items they need in the University Bookstore, and Greek Affairs set up a clothing drive.

            The Greek Affairs office has clothing donations from wall to wall that were given by students and faculty.  “I’ve been impressed with the outpour of clothes received,” Gretchen Osterman, coordinator of Greek Affairs said.  “The students have been extremely thankful for the donations,” she said. 

            The student body has also been helping the student fire victims’ situation by giving monetary donations to the Husky Fund. The account currently has about $5,500-5,700 for the students.

            Dr. Madhav Sharma, Director of International Education has been helping the eight international students who were affected by the downtown fire.  “The students are doing alright, but they are in a big emotional shock,” Sharma said.  He also described a hardship the international students have to deal with, “Their parents live thousands of miles away.”