Junk jeans for hurricane victims

By Bradley Hart
The Collegian

Fresno State students looking to get rid of some old clothes and help those affected by one of the nation’s worst natural disasters at the same time have an easy way to do both through the weekend.

The “Cotton’s Dirty Laundry Tour” will make its way to campus Monday.

The event, sponsored by Cotton, Inc., is traveling the United States collecting used denim products to help rebuild a school in Louisiana destroyed in Hurricane Katrina. Fresno will be its only stop in California.

“They chose Fresno State because the region is a key player in agriculture,” University Student Union intern Kerry McPherson said.

The all-day event will include contests, giveaways and displays, according to event organizers.

Fresno State’s USU Productions was contacted by the company and agreed to organize a local event to collect clothing, local event planner Andrew Watson said.

Watson said USU Production’s goal in setting up the event is to help those affected by last year’s devastation in the Gulf Coast.

“We want them to get a good education so they can get on with their lives,” Watson said.

All of the donated denim will be shredded and used to make insulation for the school, according to the project’s Web site.

Completing the school will require about 10,000 total pairs of jeans, Watson said.

The tour’s record collection for one school is currently the 1,200 obtained at Michigan State. Watson said one of the USU’s goals is to exceed that number.

“We want to beat Michigan State,” he said with a smile.

According to McPherson, Fresno State is well on its way to reaching its goal of 1,500.

“One of the local high schools called us and said they’ve already collected a hundred, so I think with that and what I’ve seen around our office, we’re probably around 300 at this point,” McPherson said.

Those who donate denim will be eligible to take part in a number of drawings for prizes such as iPods.

Watson said the organization has set up drop locations at local malls and will make an effort to solicit donations at upcoming Fresno Falcons games and the Fresno State football game tomorrow evening.

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