Behrman search receives aid

Since May 31, 2000, the Monroe County chapter of the American Red Cross has been at the side of workers and volunteers who are continuing the search for missing IU student Jill Behrman and is about to receive even more help from the Bloomington community.\nFor more than two years, the Red Cross has provided search workers with water, food, insect repellent and any other necessities the workers need to bring Behrman home.\nBehrman was last seen riding her bike at 9:30 a.m on May 31, 2000. \nSigma Pi fraternity has decided to pitch in and help with the continuing search at Salt Creek by holding a Miss-A-Meal to provide the workers with the goods they need. The fraternity is also urging other IU Greek houses to join them.\n"If we keep the workers fed and energized, they're going to keep at it until it's done," said Sigma Pi house director Anne Vande Sande. "The family needs closure really bad, and the community does too."\nThe fraternity is planning on donating the goods from the Miss-A-Meal directly to the search workers, and may also donate money as well.\nVande Sande said a few of the students in Sigma Pi knew Behrman personally and wanted to help in any way they can.\n"We spoke with the Behrmans and they thought that it was a wonderful idea," Vande Sande said.\nVande Sande's husband, Ed Vande Sande, a worker for the local Red Cross has had his workers helping the search effort since the first day Behrman went missing.\n"Whenever there has been an official search effort, Red Cross has gotten involved," Vande Sande said. "We've been asked to provide a good safe lunch and drinks."\nThe organization has been serving about sixty meals a day to the workers, keeping the search party working as long as possible.\n"That really is keeping people motivated and keeping them on the job site," Vande Sande said. "It really does help with morale and spirits."\nBloomington Fire Department's Deputy Chief Jon Musgrave has been working at the site for the last five days and said the Red Cross has more than helped the search effort.\n"Providing food and drink on site is always helpful," Musgrave said.\nVande Sande said his organization is primarily looking for bottled water, Gatorade, and soda. The community is also pitching in once again with the Jill Behrman Run for the End Zone 5K run/walk and 1K walk, on Saturday, Oct. 5.\nThe race begins at 10 a.m. and begins at the Mellencamp Pavilion. The track runs down North Jordan and loops around the northern part of campus, ending back at the pavilion.\nCommunity members interested in participating can register at either the HPER building or the SRSC, said Chris Wynn, an employee of the SRSC.\nThe 5K run costs $15 and the 5K walk and 1K walk are $10. But after Oct. 2, both races cost $3 extra.\nWynn said they expect over 1,500 people to participate this year. All the money raised goes toward the Jill Behrman Emerging Leader Scholarship fund and to Jill's House, a home-like residence for patients undergoing outpatient therapy at the IU Proton Therapy facility.\nAnyone wanting more information about the race can call the SRSC at 855-2371. Anyone wanting to donate toward the search effort can call Sigma Pi at 323-1842.