Southeastern NEWS
                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           SLU 10880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504-549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
                                           
    Date: 11/7/01
      Contact:                           Rene Abadie     (133)

SOUTHEASTERN STUDENTS TO RAISE 'BUCK$ FOR FIRE TRUCK$'

     HAMMOND   Students at Southeastern Louisiana University have been challenged to raise
$14,500   a dollar for each enrolled student   to help fund the "Spirit of Louisiana" fire truck
campaign organized by Louisiana Gov. Mike Foster.
     Spearheaded by the university's Student Government Association, the campaign will target
students, faculty and staff to donate money to help pay for a $500,000 truck to be donated to the
City of New York as a gift from the people of Louisiana. The Louisiana State Firemen's
Association is coordinating the statewide drive.
     The "Spirit of Louisiana" is a 1,000-gallon-per-minute pumper truck being built at Ferrara
Fire Apparatus, Inc., in Holden, one of the nation's largest manufacturers of fire trucks. The
partially-fabricated vehicle was christened by the governor on Wednesday, where it was
announced that more than $100,000 had already been collected. The state expects to present the
truck by Christmas to the City of New York, which lost 35 fire trucks and ambulances on Sept.
11 in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.
     "Our goal is to raise a minimum of one dollar per student enrolled at Southeastern," said SGA
President Kalen Miller. "We are also challenging our faculty and staff to play a prominent role in
this fund raising drive."
     The students will be collecting donations at various locations around the campus throughout
next week and at Homecoming events. Also tentatively planned is a fire truck parade through the
campus.
      The University of Louisiana System   which governs eight regional universities in the state,
including Southeastern   has set an overall goal of $78,000.
     In addition to collection points at the university, donations are also being accepted at area
banks, convenience stores and fire departments. Donations may also be sent directly to the
Louisiana State Fireman's Association, P.O. Box 1671, Gretna, LA  70054
                             -SLU-