Friends sitting around small bar tables argued over who had more Mardi Gras beads while the bartender brought out another round of hurricanes, a popular rum and citrus drink.
B.B. King’s guitar twanged out of the loudspeakers as people crowded into Fathoms Bar, at times leaving only standing room.
This wasn’t your average fundraiser.
The Oregon chapter of the Student Hurricane Network held a Mardi Gras-style fundraiser Tuesday night at Fathoms to raise money to help its members travel to the Gulf Coast region and provide pro bono work to the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Partial proceeds from hurricane drinks and bead sales will be donated to 13 University law students who will be traveling to New Orleans, Dallas, Austin and Houston during spring break. The students will pay for their transportation.
“That’s why tonight had an open-ended goal,” said Paul Tassin, a law student and New Orleans native who left the city after Hurricane Katrina. “To take the edge off for budget-limited students going down there.”
Tassin, who helped organize the event, said the network also wanted to bring attention to the legal problems left in the disaster’s aftermath.
“In addition to raising funds, we wanted to raise awareness that the problems caused by the hurricanes are still present today,” he said. “And nothing gets attention like a party.”
Jeremy Yeager, also a law student and New Orleans native, said the primary issues the Student Hurricane Network deals with are helping people fill out Federal Emergency Management Agency paperwork, homeowners insurance, housing problems and speeding up the criminal justice system by providing legal assistance.
“The (criminal) system is in collapse,” Yeager said. “They are down from about 44 attorneys to four.”
The crowd of about 50 people comprised of mostly law students such as Ryan Casey. He said the event was a good way to introduce a new culture to the area.
“In addition to raising money … they’re bringing some New Orleans culture to Eugene,” he said.
But in the midst of the party atmosphere, Tassin and Yeager still remembered their special connection to the New Orleans project.
“Anytime I get a chance to go back and help rebuild, that’s what I’m going to do,” Tassin said. “It is really personal for me.” Yeager, who returned and saw the city’s damage firsthand, said the event was an opportunity to indirectly help the aid effort.
“The devastation is unbelievable,” Yeager said. “Just to be able to do anything to help feels good.”
Even though its numbers are small, Tassin believes the network has a real effect. He spent last winter break working in New Orleans when the city was on the verge of bulldozing 5,350 devastated homes without notifying some owners.
But because of the network’s efforts, the city was forced to post a public notice in the local newspaper before the bulldozing could continue, he said.
Tassin said this was evidence that students can make a difference in the area.
“We’re just students with cell phones down there, but we get results,” he said.