This week, we’ve seen destruction.
We’ve seen houses reduced to piles of plywood, water mains shredded and cars overturned.
We’ve seen loss, not only of life but of memories, loss of the past through cherished belongings.
We’ve seen mighty buildings, trees and monuments kneel before winds and hail.
But something else that we’ve seen is that in light of all that has happened: man did not fall.
Thousands were affected by the tornadoes that cut through the Midwest on Sunday morning, with varying levels of loss and injury. But many have answered the call for aid from areas like Washington, Pekin and East Peoria.
Specifically for Bradley, since the message hit pretty close to home.
Bradley students, faculty and staff are literally opening their doors and their wallets to help those around them. They pack up their cars and go wherever they’re needed in order to give of themselves financially and physically. They’re ready to aid anyone at the drop of a hat.
And while it’s a devastating situation, it’s inspiring to see so much good come out of something so bad.
Bradley has rallied together to bring everything we can to help those in need. From making blankets in the Student Center, to housing victims, to collecting food, water and boxes, the community has touched on almost every type of aid one can provide in such a time of crisis.
Natural disasters are going to follow you anywhere you go, whether it is tornados in the Midwest, hurricanes on the coast or heat waves down south. But the way the Bradley community has responded is something that can’t be found anywhere else.
We’ve seen that everyone has responded swiftly, with hope and with promise for a better tomorrow.
We hope to see this charity work continue as winter comes.
With Thanksgiving next week, and winter holidays just around the corner, the families affected are going to need more than a blanket and a bottle of water.
They’re going to need a place where they feel safe, and a home-cooked meal to remind them that one day they’ll be back to normal – or as normal as they can be after an event like this.
Bradley is doing a wonderful job responding to the current issues, trying to stabilize the destroyed environment before rebuilding can begin.
And what about next month, or the start of 2014 when winter really settles in?
Will the Bradley community still be contributing in the spring as the towns are reconstructed?
For now, we’re glad that Bradley is doing everything it can to fix its broken neighbors, but we hope that a new semester doesn’t bring a dismissive wave of apathy.
