<p>I just got back from taking D to Nashville to run the 1/2 marathon with the Honors college running club. The club has been training together and with Dean Sharpe for the last 4 months, and while the planned UA Van caravan to the race was canceled, most of the kids got there on their own.</p>
<p>I held a Bama sign supporting the runners all through the race and I lost count of the people shouting Roll Tide! And these were not all Bama fans. I had more than one Auburn fan approach me to ask about the kids and where to send donations. </p>
<p>As heartbreaking as the situation is for the Alabama residents and the UA community, there is an outpouring of sympathy from everywhere right now. Have you experienced the same?</p>
<p>I have been quiet these last few days dumb from the devastation of last weeks storm. I am still scheduled to fly in to Birmingham this Friday and share the drive back to Ohio with my son. I am so very proud of the students that have stayed behind to help the community. </p>
<p>A few years ago my son (and our family) participated in an urban food distribution event in Chicago,IL. My son knew he had to help those families most impacted by the storm. He contacted Convoy of Hope who already had trucks headed toward Tuscaloosa. My son spear headed and organized the food distribution with Convoy of Hope. Calvary Baptist Church agreed to allow their south parking lot as a staging area when the Convoy of Hope trailers arrived. Calvary members jumped in the help as well. Thanks to ALL the students that were able to stay in Tuscaloosa and are volunteering. </p>
<p>A facebook page “Tuscaloosa Tornado: What you can do” has been created to document my son’s service project with Convoy of Hope. This page is updated multiple times a day with front line photos and personal stories that these student volunteers have seen and heard.<br>
Please take a few minutes to view this page. If you decide to “like” the page, please consider asking all your facebook friends to view the page and encourage them to “like” it too. </p>
<p>Yes, the kids have been helping victims find items that weren’t destroyed in the rubble and working as interpreters for the Hispanic community members who were affected.</p>
<p>momof3boyz, my daughter came home on Friday, but went back this morning to serve this week. Today, she provided childcare for volunteer workers at Calvary Baptist Church. Calvary has been wonderful to these students who are willing to serve. She loves her Tuscaloosa church! Kudos to your wonderful son for spearheading this wonderful effort!</p>
<p>Just think of all the celebs who were falling over themselves to be seen on the Save Haiti telethon that took place ON THE NIGHT of that terrible earthquake or on the ground there the next few days. I guess marathons aren’t needed with the disaster is domestic.</p>
<p>We appreciate anyone who takes time to give a damn, something you can’t take for granted these days.</p>
<p>He was meeting with the UA baseball and softball players in photos I saw. Lend credence to the idea that he is organizing a celebrity softball tourney.</p>