Organizations Help Family in Need

Commentary Editor

   Several Greek organizations and the Missionary Baptist Student Fellowship donated money and other items to the family of a University of Arkansas-Monticello student April 17.

   The organizations who donated to the family of 20-year old freshman Crystal Crook included Sigma Tau Gamma, Alpha Phi Alpha, Phi Lambda Chi, Alpha Sigma Tau, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Sigma Sigma Sigma, the Missionary Student Baptist Fellowship and the ROTC.

Courtesy of Janelle Martin

Donation - Members of the Greek community, the MBSF and ROTC donate money and toiletry items to student Crystal Crook. The student organizations donated to the family after a tornado destroyed their home.

   Gloria Halley, mother, Crook and Phillip Crook, brother, received donation of $1,200 cash, clothing, toiletry items, bedding and linens including bath towels, sheets, wash clothes and kitchen appliances. The April 10 storm destroyed their mobile home and Crystal Crook received several injuries.

   Mindy Holcomb, director of Student Programs and Activities, started the project of getting the Greek organizations and the MBSF joined them to get together donations to help the family.

   Sigma Tau Gamma donated $1,000 collected during Fite Night. The Brother of Sigma Tau Gamma said it was nice to give back to the community.

   “We know were this money is going, besides its going to any kind of charity organization,” Junior Derick Reynolds said.

   Alpha Phi Alpha donated clothing items.  Senior Hiram Sumlin said when they received the message Thursday morning, April 16, he sent text messages to the whole chapter to collect. Sumlin said if he was in need, he would want someone to help him out.

   Alpha Sigma Tau and the ROTC donated $50 to help pay for deposits for a house or what every they need. Alpha Sigma Tau also bought bedding and hygiene products.

   “I think the organizations can help, but it is basically up to communication to let people know what they need,” the new Student Government Association President Sandy Herring said. “I think the organizations did a great job in coming together."

   The MBSF donated $400 worth of clothing and supplies and a refrigerator and range for their new house. The organization found out about collecting of donations through Holcomb and Rob Leonard, director of the MBSF, said the organization was grateful Holcomb on top of putting together the collection and describes how the students of MBSF wanted to help out.

   “We were glad we found out about it,” Leonard said. “We were unaware that anyone had been hit that hard in the community.”

   Halley described the turnout of donations from the community as pretty good. They received two donations from a woman, furniture from a few non-commissioned officers at the Armory and many more from individual citizens.

   The family received extra support when Bryan Crook, Halley's son and Crystal and Phillip's brother and a member of the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, came home on emergency leave.

   The family thanked the community, Pauline Baptist Church and the National Guard for their help. She thanked the community and the University of Arkansas Monticello faculty, students and organizations for their offers of money and donations and the Armory for offering them a place to live. They lived in the Armory temporarily and now have a house to live in.

    “They let us stay here when we had not other place to go,” Halley said. “Everybody in Monticello has been Tremendous.”
  

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