Tech Memorial Events
Day of Mourning for the Commonwealth
Governor Kaine has declared tomorrow, Friday, April 20, a statewide day of mourning for the victims of the Virginia Tech tragedy and their families. In recognition of the day here at William and Mary, there will be a brief gathering at the Wren Building from 11:50 a.m. to 12:00 noon. The College's Board of Visitors will read a special resolution at that time, several prayers will be offered, and the Wren Bell will toll at noon in concert with bells across the Commonwealth. President Nichol encourages all students, faculty, and staff to be a part of this campus-wide gathering at the Wren Building tomorrow. If you are unable to be with us there, we hope you will pause at noon wherever you are, along with Virginians statewide, for a moment of silence and reflection. View photo gallery of event.
Virginia Tech families members across the country have united to declare Friday, April 20, and "Orange and Maroon Effect Day" to honor those killed earlier this week and to show visible support for Virginia Tech students, faculty, administrators, staff, alumni, and friends. We are all invited to be a part of the Hokie family tomorrow and to participating by wearing orange and maroon, or your favorite Virginia Tech gear.
Banner Signing and Luminary Vigil Tonight
Virginia 21 has been working with student members across the state the coordinate vigils in remembrance of the students who were lost in the tragedy on Monday. As a result, tonight on campuses across the Commonwealth, William and Mary students will gather at 9 p.m. as a sign of solidarity with the students of Virginia Tech. You are invited to come to the University Center Terrace at 9 p.m. to sign the banner to be delivered to Blacksburg in the coming week; to light a luminary in honor of friends, family, and all those who are grieving in the wake of this week's crisis; and just to be together as a student community.
Making Donations to Virginia Tech and the Families of Student Victims
A number of you have expressed a desire to reach out to Virginia Tech by raising and contributing monetary donations. Recognizing the unprecedented outpouring of sympathy and goodwill from people worldwide, Virginia Tech has set up the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund ( http://www.vt.edu/fund/index.html) as the official place for donations. That fund will be used to cover expenses including, but not limited to grief counseling, memorials, communication expenses, comfort expenses, and families' other incidental needs. We encourage you to direct any of your donations to this special fund as Virginia Tech has requested. They also have cautioned that other websites soliciting donations may be fraudulent, so please refer to the link in this email or visit the Virginia Tech website directly at www.vt.edu.
T-Shirt Fundraiser for Virginia Tech
Members of W&M's varsity field hockey team have mobilized with the help of Colonial Sports to sell T-Shirts honoring Virginia Tech and commemorating the lives lost in Monday's tragedy. The shirts will be maroon and the design will be, FRONT: VT logo w/ WM feathers attached; BACK: TODAY WE ARE ALL HOKIES w/ April 16th, 2007 underneath. The shirts will be sold at tables in the UC on Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for $10 each. Because of the short turn-around time, only 200 shirts can be printed by tomorrow. However, if the t-shirt supply runs out tomorrow (which is likely), Colonial Sports will be taking orders in the UC, and any shirts ordered there tomorrow will be distributed next week. Only cash or checks, please -- all proceeds will be donated to Virginia Tech's Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund in the name of the College of William and Mary.
