Senior looks to unify

Senior Shannon Hogan knew he had to do something. The numbers "nine" and "11" had been floating through his mind for weeks. Finally, in wake of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, he decided to start a project that could unite a campus of thousands of students as one -- a project that he is calling "ProjectCARE."\n"ProjectCARE" was started by Hogan as a way to raise funds for the Red Cross. Hogan designed black armbands that carry the message "9-11-01 Peace & Prayer" in white text. The armbands will be distributed by Hogan to anyone willing to make a donation to the Red Cross. \n"We're taking donations… there's no minimum price, and all proceeds go to the Red Cross," Hogan said.\nFor Hogan, the idea for the project was rooted in events that took place before the terrorist attacks even occurred.\n"For some strange reason, the numbers nine and 11 had been in my head before it happened," said Hogan.\nHogan began to worry that something bad would happen to him and that somehow it would involve those digits. While on a trip to Iowa, Hogan became so worried that he pulled his car to the side of the road and got out when his clock read "9:11." \nAfter taking a few minutes to calm himself of any irrational fears, Hogan got back into his car and picked up his cell phone. Once he saw that the time on the cell phone, which had been set differently than his dashboard clock, read "9:11," he began to think that there really might be a deeper meaning to the phenomenon.\n"I felt that the numbers 9-1-1 were a message from God that I hadn't been praying enough," Hogan said.\nA little over a week later, on Sept. 11, rather than waking up early as usual, Hogan slept in. A janitor in his dorm broke the news of the events that had already happened that morning.\n"At that point, I realized that I just don't have to pray more, but as a nation we need to pray more," Hogan said.\nSoon thereafter, Hogan struck upon the idea of making armbands as a symbol of unity. After going to fabric stores and having a seamstress develop a prototype for him, Hogan went to the chancellor's office to seek a way to distribute the armbands across campus. In turn, he was referred to Associate Vice Chancellor for Administrative Affairs Bruce Jacobs.\n"What is unique about the project is a student can often find a way to make it happen," said Jacobs. "One individual can make a difference."\nJacobs played a vital role in helping Hogan get the project off the ground by connecting him with people that could help raise money to fund "ProjectCARE." Among those who he got Hogan in touch with was Rebecca Jimenez at the Center for University Ministry.\nUpon hearing Hogan's idea, Jimenez was impressed and willing to help offset the costs of manufacturing the armbands.\n"It's a concrete expression of grief and hope after September 11," Jimenez said. \nAfter a long wait, an initial shipment of 250 "CAREbands" have reached Hogan and are ready for distribution.\n"Hopefully, every student at IU donates to this," Hogan said. "It represents the voice of campus… this is something we can say we all did"