Fifteen candles illuminated the night as Oberlin students and staff held vigil for the victims of Hurricane Georges. La Alianza Latina, the Latino student organization, organized a vigil held on the front steps of Wilder Student Union last Monday night. The students and staff lit stick candles while handing out information regarding recent Hurricane Georges' destructive path through the Caribbean. For five days, the hurricane swept through the Caribbean, hitting Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba, killing a total of 227 people and leaving over 800 missing.
Problems are further complicated with severe crop damages and large power outages.
To aid hurricane victims the students placed a small box on the ground to collect donations for hurricane relief agencies. College sophomore Miguelina Zapata voiced her concern for her family members in the Dominican Republic. I have family there from my mom's side but we haven't found out anything yet because everything is destroyed. Assistant Area Coordinator Serjio Acevedo, who was also at the vigil, later described his reason for attending. I don't have family there in particular, but I empathize with my friend's suffering.