Storm Relief: SOSU SAAC lends hand to sister communities

01/25/2007 - The Durant community "dodged a bullet" when a winter ice storm slipped north two weekends ago.

But the communities of Pittsburg County and many others in Oklahoma sprawling from the Red River in the south all the way to the Kansas state line in the north weren't so fortunate.

"We dodged a bullet," said James Dalton, Director of Emergency Management for Durant and Bryan County. "Three thousand people in Bryan County lost power, but 97 percent of McAlester lost power due to the storm."

Southeastern Oklahoma State canceled campus events in preparation for the bout of expected wintry precipitation, but temperatures remained above the freezing point resulting in rain for the immediate area surrounding Durant.

McAlester, just 76 miles to the north up U.S. Highway 69, and areas to the north weren't so lucky.

The three-day storm was blamed for 32 deaths, while hospitals treated 3,919 casualties for winter related injuries and knocked out power to 125,000 residents in Oklahoma.

"We had so many communities affected," Dalton said. "McAlester was in really bad shape."

At one point, one stop light was functioning in the city of 16,000, while Lowe's was the only retailer operating and Western Sizzlin' was operating on gas stoves to feed emergency crews.

"It was like the town didn't even exist anymore," Dalton said. "Like everyone had run off and left it. It took 10 days to recover and some of the power still isn't on."

The ice finally melted away, but not before it had pulled down utility poles and ripped electrical equipment away from homes.

Many households needed help recovering from the effects of the storm - a need the Southeastern Oklahoma State Athlete Advisory Council quickly recognized.

"We felt the need and the duty to help members of our sister community," SAAC president Kyle Phifer said. "It is just a small act to aid as many families as we can."

The committee, which is assembled to provide insight on the student-athlete experience, teamed with Houston, Texas-based Team Acro Dunk for a fund raiser at recent home basketball game in Durant.

Members of the SAAC committee circulated through the capacity crowd and Team Acro Dunk donated a post game performance as the groups teamed to raise $750 as part of the Southeastern Oklahoma State Storm Relief campaign.

"I'm very proud of the many contributions that Southeastern's student-athletes make every day," SOSU Athletic Director Dr. Jeff Hale said. "Their recent efforts to support families in our region who have suffered through the recent winter storm episode are another example of their character and can-do spirit."

"The donation will be used to directly aid as many families as possible," Dalton said.

"It just shows the compassion that we have in this part of the country," Dalton said. "This is what makes me want to live here. People still care about their neighbor. It makes me proud because that's where I live."

"A great cross section of our community made heartfelt donations not knowing exactly where the money was going. They just knew it was going to help someone and that is a cool thing," he said.

"There is no shortage of where we can use the money."

- Courtesy of Trey Reed, SOSU Sports Information Director