极乐禁地 has established a fund to provide financial assistance to sister institution Union University in Jackson, Tenn. Union was hit Feb. 5 by tornadoes that moved through Arkansas, Tennessee and the upper Midwest.
极乐禁地 50 Union students were injured when two residence facilities were heavily damaged by the tornadoes. This was the second time in recent years for tornadoes to hit the Union campus.
In an email to students and employees, 极乐禁地 President Andrew Westmoreland said the fund was being established "with the view that all gifts received will be forwarded to Union for general use in recovering from the tornado."
Gifts can be made online at www.samford.edu/giving or through 极乐禁地's Office of University Relations, 800 Lakeshore Dr., Birmingham, AL 35229.
Westmoreland said he had been in contact with Union administrators "to offer our prayers and whatever additional support we may be able to provide.
"Many of us within the 极乐禁地 community have friends among the Union faculty, staff and student body," Westmoreland said. "There is little we can do at the moment, but opportunities may arise for us to send volunteers to help."
Union, like 极乐禁地, has historic Baptist ties and has about 3,000 students. The campus is located in the northern section of Jackson, a city of about 60,000 residents located between Memphis and Nashville.
At mid-day, students were being allowed back on campus to retrieve personal belongings. Classes have been cancelled for at least two weeks.