The University continues to do its part to contribute to Haiti relief efforts. The Department of Residential Life created a campaign called “Geaux the Distance: Hope for Haiti,” which students can donate a dollar to put their names on miniature Haitian flags that will hang on the walls of residence halls. Students are also encouraged to participate in “penny wars” — a competition between residence halls and individual floors to collect the most pennies for Haiti. Competing floors can put silver coins or paper money into other teams’ collection bins to counteract their amounts. For example, if a bin has 500 pennies and someone adds a $5 bill, the amount becomes zero. Penny wars are a fun way to compete and give more money to a good cause at the same time, said Jay High, communications manager of ResLife.Every residence hall community is participating and has set their own goals, High said. High said the overall goal for the campaign is $1 for every mile between Baton Rouge and Port-au-Prince, Haiti — $1,437. “The losses in Haiti are unimaginable, and we want to be part of that global outreach,” High said. “We need to have compassion for those people as if the earthquake had happened in our own backyard.” The money is collected at the end of the month and sent to the American Red Cross. “The students are really excited to help,” High said. “So far I think we have $500 collected.” The competition will continue all semester, High said. Another campus organization, Tigers for Haiti, collected donations to go toward LifeStraws — portable water filters for prevention of common diarrheal disease. Amy Potter, geography graduate student, created the campus-wide relief effort and said it has collected nearly $1,200. “It delighted and surprised me to see such an outpouring from all over,” Potter said. LifeStraws are a useful item to send to Haiti because they meet an immediate need, Potter said. “LifeStraws are mobile — you can wear them around your neck, and they last up to two years,” Potter said. “It’s something very tangible.” Potter said Tigers for Haiti is in the process of planning an educational forum in March where professors can present their research on Haiti. –Contact Sarah Eddington at [email protected]