NATCHITOCHES – Student volunteers at Northwestern State University loaded a rental truck with clothing, pillows, paper goods and other items that were delivered to McNeese State University in Lake Charles Tuesday. The Cowboy Collection, a student-led initiative, ran like a well-oiled machine as masked volunteers adhered to social distancing protocols while loading the truck with supplies donated over the last two weeks by numerous student groups, athletes and individuals from the Natchitoches community.
Sheridan Duet of Thibodaux, Sarah Sargent of Lake Charles and Jessica Mullican of De Ridder headed up the initiative under the guidance of Director of Student Affairs Reatha Cox, who praised dozens of students from the Presidential Leadership Program for their cooperation and teamwork in loading supplies safely and in record time.
The truck left campus shortly after noon to deliver Hurricane Relief supplies to storm-ravaged McNeese, Northwestern State’s sister school in the University of Louisiana System.
The Cowboy Collection is one facet of several strategies to help McNeese students, faculty and staff. NSU and other UL System Schools are helping displaced McNeese students by offering them access to campus resources such as Wi-Fi, libraries, computer labs, rec centers, dining options, counseling and health services. McNeese resumed online classes on Sept. 18 and will remain online for the rest of the fall semester.
Hurricane Laura made landfall on Louisiana’s southwest coast Aug. 27. The storm’s eye passed directly over Lake Charles and McNeese State causing catastrophic da
