I was saddened by the recent events in Japan, and my heart goes out to everyone affected by the disaster. For a country so well-prepared to face natural disasters, the people of Japan could not have readied themselves for the worst earthquake in their nation’s history, and a massive, deadly tsunami which followed soon after.

Along with these disasters, the country is now in the midst of a nuclear crisis whilst still recovering.

The damage in Northeastern Japan is still severe, with thousands of Japanese citizens without electricity and water. According to the Japanese Embassy, 118 medical facilities in the Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures were damaged by the tsunami triggered from the 9.0 earthquake, rendering them unusable. According to an article in The New York Times, more than 130,000 people still remain in shelters, while tens of thousands evacuated their homes. The death toll rose to over 14,000 and is expected to reach nearly 20,000; the number of people still considered missing is up to 13,000.

In the wake of these events we, Southeastern Lions, should do whatever we can to continue aid in Japan and bring relief to its victims. Our campus started strong with its efforts, starting with the Shake a Can for Japan fund drive organized by Gamma Beta Phi, which brought in $867, but the efforts cannot stop there. It is hard because we now live in a world where we consume information quickly and then move on, but Japan is not able to recover at the same pace as our attention span. We cannot forget about the disaster the minute it is no longer the latest news story. As a state ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, we should understand the importance of material support. It took us a couple of years before we were back on our feet, and we did it with more financial support than what Japan has currently received. This is a chance for us to help in whatever way possible.

This is not to say Japan is in more need of support than Haiti or Chile, who experienced their own disasters. Please keep supporting them; however, do not overlook Japan either. It is true that Japan has always been a well-off country, but that does not mean the Japanese need for aid isn’t as great as Haiti or Chile. A natural disaster does not consider the market value of the country it hits.

While the American Red Cross raises more money for Japan, what are we, as a university community, doing to help save Japan? Why not take cues from campus organizations across the United States for starters? The Claremont Colleges, located in California, came together to create a benefit for Japan called “Japan Day at the Claremont Colleges.” The benefit was a series of events, which lasted the entire day to donate money to Japan and raise awareness. Events included screenings of Japanese films, student performances of traditional Japanese drums known as taiko, professor lectures, T-shirt sales, bake sales and paper crane folding. At the end of the day, Claremont Colleges raised over $3,000 in donations.

Other colleges such as Kutztown University of Pennsylvania did an “Undie Run” where Greeks stripped down to their underwear and ran across campus. The stripped off clothes were donated to Japan. Students from the University of California, San Diego sold traditional Japanese snacks to collect donations, and they also went out to the streets of downtown San Diego with jars to collect money. They raised $1,355 within two hours.

For those who would rather keep their clothes on, there are other ways to help. Students can text The American Red Cross and donate $10, which will be charged to their cellular bill. For those who want some style with their support, pop star Lady Gaga created a special “We Pray for Japan” bracelet at the cost of $5 with all proceeds going directly to Japan, which can be purchased from her Web site. If you don’t care for Lady Gaga, there are tons of “Support Japan” T-shirts online to choose from.

Donations are one of the more immediate forms of aid, but other ways to help exist and won’t break the bank of a college student. For those who can’t send money or organize an event, DoSomething.org set the goal for students to create paper cranes and post photos to their Facebook page in the spirit of solidarity. The Japanese legend says 1,000 cranes equals one wish, and DoSomething.org is asking for 100,000 cranes for a total of 100 wishes.

So I encourage every student, faculty and staff member on campus to act. Whether by raising money, collecting supplies or wearing a Lady Gaga bracelet, don’t let the size of the problem keep you from finding a way to help. Even the smallest donation and act of kindness can make a world of a difference.