One Tuesday evening in the beginning of the fall 1996 semester at Shippensburg University, sirens
(警笛) sounded.These sirens were not in celebration; they were a cry to the university that something
was wrong. A house, only one block away, was on fire.Nine of the university's students lived there.
From the minute the word got out that help was needed, it seemed like everyone showed up.The victims
of the fire were offered endless invitations for housing for the night.The very next day, everyone got into
gear to do their part in helping them.Flyers (小传单) were posted with items that were immediatelyneeded, just to get these students through this next couple of days.Boxes for donations and money jarswere
placed in every residence hall(学生宿舍).
As a residence director,I went before the students in my hall to ask them to do what they could.I
knew that college students don't have much, but I asked them to clo their best: "Every little bit will help."
I really didn't think they could do much.l.was proved wrong.
At the hall council meeting the night after the fire, my residents decided to have a wing competition,
where each wing of the building would team up to see who could bring in the most donations.l announced.
that the wing who won would receive a free pizza party.
Thursday evening we announced over the PA system that we were beginning the wing competition.
Within minutes, the place exploded.The single large box that I had placed in the lobby (太厅) was over-flowin