insight

OUR OPINION

AURARIA CARES AND SO SHOULD YOU

Back when he was still a stand-up comedian, Steve Martin joked, "What's four dollars in today's world? It's like, 'ooh, I've got four dollars, I think I'll throw it out in the street.'" Funny then; not so funny now.

Four dollars, multiplied by the number of students on the Auraria campus adds up to about $200,000-the amount Auraria Cares, a campus-wide fundraiser, is hoping to collect between now and Sept. 30.

The money will go to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, people who have lost everything they own, something those of us lucky enough to have avoided disaster, cannot possibly imagine.

Metro's Student Government Assembly, which donated $1,000 of its funds to the project, is sponsoring Auraria Cares, along with student organizations from UCD and CCD.

Tables are set up from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the flagpole, where cash can be placed directly into barrels, which will be collected by Auraria Campus police.

But it's not just money they're after. Organizers are also looking for volunteers to man the tables at the flagpole and take barrels around campus to collect donations.

If you're interested, stop by the SGA office on the third floor of the Tivoli, or go to http://thunder1.cudenver.edu/studentlife/aurariacares.html.

Yeah, that $4 can buy you a gallon of gas or milk, a pack of cigarettes, parking on campus, even a well-drink at the bar.

But it can also buy hope. Hope for those who have nothing.