Saturday, November 18, 2006

Tech students reach out to crash survivor

Pair is close to reaching their $1,000 goal

Argen Duncan El Defensor Chieftain Reporter

An effort to show the lone survivor of a recent DWI crash she isn't alone has two New Mexico Tech students reaching throughout the campus and into the Socorro community.

Acacia Barraza and Sarah Diaz, both sophomores in chemical engineering, are collecting money for Arissa Garcia, the 15-year-old whose family was killed by a drunken driver Nov. 11 on I-25.

Diaz and Barraza started out to raise a few hundred dollars, a teddy bear and a blanket to show Garcia she wasn't alone and someone at Tech cared. The effort has turned into a community-wide drive, with the students hoping to raise $1,000 by Nov. 22.

They are well over half way to their goal. Diaz said they know the funds won't make Garcia feel better, but they don't want her to have to worry about money.

They are also passing around a card for those who help to sign.

Diaz said she and Barraza went to Santa Fe on the weekend of Nov.11 to visit her grandmother in the hospital. Diaz's grandmother had been getting updates on Garcia, as the two had the same doctor, and told Diaz and Barraza the story.

"And we cried, honestly, when we heard what happened," Diaz said.

During lunch Tuesday, the two students decided to help.

"We had, like, maybe 75 cents," Barraza said.

They got a plastic cup from food service provider Chartwells and started asking people for money. The cup filled, and someone directed them to Vice President of Student and University Relations Ricardo Maestas.

He donated about $150 of merchandise from the campus bookstore.

Barraza and Diaz then took their cause to Wednesday's student forum. Tech President Daniel H. López made a donation and suggested they pass around the collection box.

The box filled in what Barraza said was "Tech coming together to help this girl out."

A number of people provided assistance, and offices and stores around campus agreed to host collection jars and sometimes donate. The women's friends also spread the word.

"We don't really have to harass people any more," Diaz said.

Instead, people approach them with contributions.

They were hoping for possibly $500 over two weeks but reached $600 plus the bookstore merchandise on the second day.

"We had no idea we were going to get so much help," Diaz said.

Barraza and Diaz have cried when they emptied the collection box.

"It's amazing; it's beautiful," Barraza said.

They are also attempting to start a penny drive at Socorro High School.

"They do amazing things with that," Diaz said of the results she's seen from penny drives at other high schools.

Barraza and Diaz plan to ask Socorro business for help as well.

They want to wrap the drive up with $1,000 raised by Nov. 22, the day they get out for Thanksgiving, and have someone take a cashier's check to Garcia. However, Barraza said they would continue to work if they didn't reach the goal by then.

If they meet the target early, they plan to keep collecting.

The students are also considering a fundraiser after Thanksgiving such as a pancake breakfast to benefit Garcia.

"It feels good to do something for somebody else," Diaz said.

Both women liked giving to someone who needs the help more than they do.

Anyone interested in donating can contact Diaz at 505-470-1183 or sdiaz@nmt.edu. Also, the New Mexico Tech Golf Course and Fire and Ice coffee shop on the first floor of the Joseph A. Fidel Center are collecting donations. An account has been set up for Garcia at Wells Fargo.

aduncan@dchieftain.com

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