Community steps in to relieve aftermath

In just an hour, 48 JMU students were left not only without a place to live, but without just about everything. Pictures chronicling their lives to this point, momentos from childhood, academic work and portfolio material, clothing, gifts, electronic equipment — the list goes on. Some of it is replaceable, but most of it isn't.

It seems almost impossible that something as simple as a smoldering cigarette — a possible cause according to the Harrisonburg Fire Department — can cause such destruction in a short amount of time, but for those students of building 891 in the Commons, the situation is all too real.

The fire in the Commons Saturday, Nov. 10 has had a tremendous impact — not only on individuals directly involved, but also on the campus. Concern for the students is on everyone's minds, whether they know any of them or not. Furthermore, the feeling that the fire could just as easily have been one's own apartment is a startling and sobering realization. The circumstances hit close to home because this is home.

Imagine virtually any college dorm or apartment. Everything that is remotely important or useful to an individual is cramped into a tiny space — a compressed version of one's home. Also, by the time many individuals move into an apartment, they completely move out of their families' homes, and the apartment becomes more and more a true home.

During this ordeal, the surrounding community came together. Immediately after the fire started, students stepped in to help fire fighters in any way they could, helping to move cars and clearing space for the fire fighters. The Student Government Association quickly began a drive for the 48 students in order to collect essential items, such as clothes, toiletries, towels, washcloths, shower curtains, bedding, notebooks, school supplies and money.

Not only did members of the residential community band together, but organizations stepped in to help. Members of JMU administration, Off-Campus Life, LB&J Limited and NTC, among others, held a meeting Monday with students and parents to discuss the course of action. While these organizations are doing all they can to help, the nature of the situation lends itself to the stipulation that any decisions to be made are going to be challenging and sometimes disappointing to the students. However, the action is being taken quickly in an effort to establish some sense of normalcy for the students.

While nothing will be able to replace all that was lost in the fire, the way people have stepped up to help those in need is an amazing thing to see in a college community.

Hopefully in the coming weeks, the compassion toward the victims of the Commons fire will continue, as their lives will not be magically fixed just by getting a new place to live or by receiving textbooks to finish out the semester.