Numerous Southeastern organizations have formed together to help a Hammond High School senior, Jon Michael Williams and his family. This past Thanksgiving break, Williams was involved in a car accident with a drunk driver. The wreck left Williams in a coma, of which he is still in today.  

While currently in recovery, soon Williams will be making his trip back home. However his house is not fully equipped with the necessary adjustments to fit his needs.  This is when close family friend, Robbie Roubique, set out to get ABC’s hit television show, “Extreme Makeover Home Edition” to come build the Williams family a new home.  Roubique set a goal to get a total of a 1,000 letters sent to ABC, in favor of choosing the Williams family for a home makeover.

“They [ABC] gave me a good chance. They liked our story,” said Roubique, “But if chosen they wouldn’t be here until November.”

Through Facebook, newspaper articles and simply word of mouth, the news spread quickly in the span of around a month.  

Student organizations across campus including PEEPS and Gamma Beta Phi got their members to write letters to ABC in support of Williams.  

“Just about anybody that hears about it, just wants to help in some way,” said Jackie Dale Thomas, Gamma Beta Phi faculty sponsor and leadership coordinator.

Gamma Beta Phi discovered the news of the Hammond High senior, through an article in a local newspaper. After reading the article, Thomas got in contact with Roubique and told him that Gamma Beta Phi would do what they could to help.  The organization is encouraging their members to write letters and emails and in return members will receive service points

 Roubique’s goal of 1,000 letters soon turned into over 6,000 on Thursday, Feb. 10. The number of letters coming in continues to grow daily.

Another effort Roubique organized is taking place on March 18 at Twelve Oaks on Southeastern’s campus.  Tickets started going on sell Monday, February 14. The event includes a dinner along with numerous items that will be auctioned off. For more information on this event go to Facebook and search for the event titled “Hope-4-JM Benefit Dinner /Dance.”

Roubique continues to receive letters from the Tangipahoa area. On the morning of Monday, February 14, the letters were totaled to 10,014 received.