Greetings Rollins Community,  

Many of us have spent the last few days grieving the tragedy that struck the Newtown community this past Friday. As Dean Powers said yesterday at the vigil at the Knowles Memorial Chapel, the Newtown community is our community; the Sandy Hook children are our children. When unimaginable events like these happen many of us wonder how we can help. If you’d like to take action, we’d encourage you to think about the following ways to get involved:  

• Send a note - The United State Postal Service has set up a P.O. Box for letters of condolence. Letters can be addressed to Message of Condolence, PO Box 3700, Newtown, CT 06470. Or you can sign a virtual card that Causes.com has created to be sent to community officials. 

• Make a donation – The United Way of Western Connecticut has created an official fund for victims’ families and the Newtown community. Donations can sent to Sandy Hook School Support Fund, c/o Newtown Savings Bank, 39 Main Street, Newtown CT 06470. Additionally, there are many other opportunities to make monetary contributions; many of the families have set up memorial funds  in honor of their loved ones. More information on those opportunities can be found here. 

• Volunteer – The United Way is coordinating all volunteer efforts. Inquiries can be made by calling their offices at 1-800-203-1234 and selecting #4.  

For more ways to get involved please see this CBS news article and/or this USA Today article. In closing, we’d like to leave you with this quote from a distinguished Rollins alumnus:  

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ To this day, especially in times of ‘disaster,’ I remember my mother’s words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers - so many caring people in this world.” — Mister Rogers  

Thank you,
Rollins Relief Executive Board