<p>Thanks, RobD, for the magnet link. We will proudly display those on our cars.</p>
<p>Great idea on the Alumni Association. We have a very large local chapter. I will contact them to see if we can help out with anything they’re doing.</p>
<p>RobD - I would love to have several of those magnets, as well as the shirts and my D is chomping at the bit to get them, however, I am very concerned about the source of all of these Tuscaloosa/Bama items popping up for sale. Although I can’t imagine, there are many people who will take great advantage of us and our students during this time and run off with the money. Am I just being paranoid or have I lived in ATL too long? Is there a way to post legit sites on here that CC posters can verify?</p>
<p>Well, of course I don’t “know.” And 8 years of living in TN has rubbed my NJ suspicion away to some extent.</p>
<p>I have ordered from bamastuff.com in the past. They’re legit. And I “liked” the T-Town Never Down group since it popped up and it seems as if they’re being legit. And as for the magnet link, the email received after ordering said “My son and 3 of his friends sought refuge from the storm over the past 4 days here in our home and we were a stop point for a couple more on their way home.” With a real persons name on everything so I’m thinking there would be a real personal backlash if she was a fake. Especially since the website is a page off of a personal website. </p>
<p>I could be wrong of course…</p>
<p>Bamastuff.com is the website of the Alabama Book Store. They are legit. I have no idea about the other sites as I haven’t looked at them yet.</p>
<p>Peachtide, you’re not paranoid. I live in New Orleans, and I can personally tell you, there are bad people out there who will take advantage of those less fortunate than them, and the wonderful people who come to help them. </p>
<p>Maybe when we receive our shirts, we can post that we got them. I did feel okay ordering from Bamastuff, as I have visited their website in the past. </p>
<p>But I don’t blame you at all for being hesitant to put your personal information, credit card, on a site you haven’t checked out already.</p>
<p>If this makes you feel any better, the T-Town and Magnet sites were paid via PayPal so it’s secure.</p>
<p>Penn State fans & businesses are coming through like champs. Here’s a link to the Penn St - Bama gameday shirt with $5 of each shirt sale going to the tornado relief. </p>
<p>[Penn</a> State Sportswear Merchandise: Alabama VS. PSU Gameday T-Shirt](<a href=“http://www.lions-pride.com/store/ALGD11!CHAMP/Champion+Alabama+VS.+PSU+Gameday+T-Shirt]Penn”>http://www.lions-pride.com/store/ALGD11!CHAMP/Champion+Alabama+VS.+PSU+Gameday+T-Shirt)</p>
<p>Thanks, RobD. I have ordered from Bamastuff.com many times, but wasn’t sure about the others.</p>
<p>Two good columns:
[Here’s</a> hoping Alabama title provides balm after the storms - NCAA Football - CBSSports.com](<a href=“http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/15013901/heres-hoping-alabama-title-provides-balm-after-the-storms]Here’s”>http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/15013901/heres-hoping-alabama-title-provides-balm-after-the-storms)</p>
<p>[Sports</a> - CBSSports.com Sports News, Fantasy Scores, Sports Video](<a href=“CBS Sports - News, Live Scores, Schedules, Fantasy Games, Video and more. - CBSSports.com”>CBS Sports - News, Live Scores, Schedules, Fantasy Games, Video and more. - CBSSports.com)</p>
<p>Football Fanatics is offering a t-shirt. Again, a portion of the proceeds will go to the relief efforts in Alabama.</p>
<p>[Alabama</a> Crimson Tide Awareness T-shirt - Crimson](<a href=“Access Denied”>Access Denied)</p>
<p>I have ordered several times from this company. Great products. Great customer service.</p>
<p>^^^Thanks for that link. I see that proceeds go to the Act of Kindness Fund. What a great thing Bama is doing, setting up that fund to help students and employees. Very nice shirt, too.</p>
<p>Okay, everyone…on the spot update…St. Francis is taking donations but desperately needs a storage space. So if anyone in the area has an empty garage or warehouse refer them to Lynn or Tracy at St. Francis on campus.</p>
<p>I am here in Tuscaloosa with my big car, if any students need help getting to their storage facilities just PM me. I will check here throughout the day.</p>
<p>We dropped of our donation items and let me say that all the people here are so grateful. I am sure that there will be many opportunities to help throughout the coming year. If you are coming to T-Town baby items,diaper,non-perishable food items and toiletries are in huge demand. Imagine not being able to wash yourself?</p>
<p>It was wonderful to see and hug my son even if he was covered in debris dust from volunteering. I am so happy to see that campus looks pristine and yet so saddened by all the destruction.</p>
<p>Roll Tide Y’All!!!</p>
<p>Will be looking for targeted, specific items to bring down when returning in August. I had a link to someone collecting good condition books for a school who lost their library, maybe that or baby items etc… any good idea appreciated as I’d like to spend the summer collecting things.</p>
<p>Another parent PM’d me about volunteer possibilities with AA and OA in August that will be Tornado related. I’m sure that there will be stuff related to the relief/rebuild efforts. makes me think that the honors college needs to allow more than 40 kids per group.</p>
<p>Anyway…i have to head back to Ttown today…we didn’t get all of our apartment son’s stuff out of The Bluff. Lost sight of how much more a kid has when he’s in an apt!!! He didn’t have a roommate this year (lucky him…a 2 bedroom apt all to himself), so he had to supply everything. Since he’s graduating, a storage unit wouldn’t have worked. :(</p>
<p>Have a safe trip in Mom2k! Roll Tide!</p>
<p>Does anyone know how many students were left homeless by the tornado?<br>
At some point, UA may need to clarify this to prevent folks from thinking that there isn’t room for another large freshman class.</p>
<p>Even without AA and OA, I’m sure there will be plenty of opportunities for volunteering. My son participated in AA, but his suitemates, who came later, did a Saturday service activity during WOW Week. They met great friends there. I’m sure there will be many opportunities to get involved throughout the year.</p>
<p>*Does anyone know how many students were left homeless by the tornado?
At some point, UA may need to clarify this to prevent folks from thinking that there isn’t room for another large freshman class. *</p>
<p>Are you asking how many upper-classmen won’t be able to find apts for next fall? I think there are still plenty of apts. I think The Retreat and a few others are not fully leased yet. I don’t think The Bluff is fully leased yet for fall.</p>
<p>While our primary concern at this point should be about the loss of life, I guess I am a bit concerned that all the talk of Tuscaloosa being “wiped off the map” or “destroyed” that one hears from folks around the South, could be damaging to UA’s momentum. I saw one news report where the anchor is suggesting that parents are nervous about sending their children to Tuscaloosa, given the devastation. I thought that providing hard numbers of numbers of apartment units destroyed might clarify the situation.</p>
<p>I haven’t heard anyone changing their minds. On the 2011 senior thread we’ve even had one new announcement since the tornado. Of course, there are many, many more students not on cc. As a new parent in the fall it didn’t even occur to me. The way the community and University handled the situation I thought was exemplary. But it might be different the closer you are to Alabama?</p>