Gator fans...here is what the UF UAA is doing

[Miss Jasmine]

Gator fans...I am sure you all remember Danny Wuerffel. I had th pleasure of actually knowing him while going to UF (we both had the same major and had many classes together). He has a tremendous heart. My fondest memory is his little brother visited him for about a week, and the two were inseparable . They biked around campus and his brother came to class with him. It was too sweet (and by younger brother I mean he was junior high age). From what I understand, Danny lost his home in Katrina, but more importantly to him, his ministry has been greatly effected. Anyway, I just wanted to give you Gators who are still not around here a heads up.

Florida To Donate Proceeds To Desire Street Ministries

Tuesday September 6, 2005

Gainesville, FL
The University Athletic Association is pledging to donate $50,000 in proceeds from the University of Florida's pay-per-view football telecast with Louisiana Tech to the Desire Street Ministries in New Orleans.

One of Florida’s most notable football players in school history, Danny Wuerffel, is the Director of Development at Desire Street Ministries. The organization provides health, housing, economic development, education and recreation to those living in the surrounding Desire neighborhood.

Supplying clothing and shelter for the displaced staff members, their families and the students at the Desire Street Ministries are among their top priorities. Donations are being accepted in the following ways:

Send a check payable to Desire Street Ministries to:

Desire Street Ministries
P.O. Box 956429
Duluth, Ga. 30095

Or donate on-line at http://www.desirestreet.org.

The UAA also donated $75,000 in proceeds from the University of Florida's pay-per-view football telecast with Wyoming to the American Red Cross to assist those affected by Hurricane Katrina.

[Desiree]

Wow, that's really cool. And this coming from someone who bleeds purple and gold. Way to go UF!! :cheer2:

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Go Gators!

[JimB.]

It's GREAT to BE a FLORIDA GATOR!

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

Way to go!
And Florida State raised over $235,000 during Monday nights FSU-Miami game.
http://www.fsu.com/pages/2005/09t/05/fundrasing.html

I am glad to see so many helping with raising money (even Gators ;) ).

[Miss Jasmine]

Good for FSU. :goodvibes

Also the Alumini Association was doing a fundraiser before the game last Saturday, but I can't find a press release on what the outcome was. :confused3 I did find out Wayne Brady is doing Gator Growl this year. Waaaaaaaah, I wanna go. :rolleyes:

[sodaseller]

Thanks Miss Jasmine - Gator Country is working on it too

[Miss Jasmine]

Here's an article that was in our paper today:
Wuerffel vows to rebuild Desire Street

BY DAVID JONES
FLORIDA TODAY

GAINESVILLE - If anybody understands how determined ex-Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel can be, it's his former coach, Steve Spurrier.

And Spurrier has no doubt that the 1996 Heisman Trophy winner will bounce back from likely losing both his house and his ministry in Hurricane Katrina.

"Nothing hardly ever rattles Danny Wuerffel," Spurrier said Wednesday. "He has such a sincere faith and belief in God that things are going to work out. He's definitely a good person to have helping to lead that school and those kids, the inner-city kids in New Orleans."

Spurrier made a sizeable donation to the ministry his former star works at last year and said he is preparing to send more. Wuerffel is director of development for Desire Street Ministries. His home in New Orleans and the ministry both were severely damaged.

Wuerffel's habit after throwing a touchdown pass at UF of stopping and clasping his hands together and looking at the sky to give thanks, along with his deep religious faith, became nationally-known while leading the Gators to the 1996 national title. Wuerffel and Spurrier are the school's only Heisman Trophy winners.

He talked to media in a teleconference Wednesday about the losses in Katrina and the future for himself and his labor of love. He is certain both his home and the ministry were severely flooded. His home is located near the 17th Street canal levee, where the major breech took place.

He saw a photo of a neighbor's house and water was to the roof. The ministry is in the ninth ward, which also was in an area that was flooded.

"We don't know what the damage is, per se," said Wuerffel, who admitted the ministry has little reserve funding. "We don't know if its salvageable or not. But while the building is damaged, our spirit is strong."

Wuerffel, his wife and son, Jessica and Jonah, and their dog left New Orleans before the storm hit with only three or four changes in clothes, some pictures, documents, a video camera and two pillows. He also took two of his favorite Bibles, which he has read from regularly while in Destin.

"That's currently all we own after we left," said Wuerffel, who is staying at his parents' home in Destin.

Wuerffel hasn't wavered in his commitment to the ministry. There are 192 boys in the academy that Desire Street Ministries supports.

He said school officials are trying to contact all the kids and have found between 30 and 50 percent of them. He said the ministry hopes to open a satellite boarding school and is looking at a conference center in the Jackson, Miss., area as a possible site and wants to restart classes Oct. 3.

All but one member of the ministry staff has been accounted for. Boys who attend school at Desire Street are scattered from Texas to Tennessee to Oklahoma to Arkansas.

He talked about a student at the ministry's academy named Heath, who still is missing.

"My heart will be broke if we don't find Heath," he said.

While Spurrier's confidence in his old quarterback is unrattled and Wuerffel's faith is strong, he broke down Wednesday and started crying.

"I guess I don't want to get too much in detail," Wuerffel said. "But I was just picturing in my mind and weeping with all the people that were left in the city and the experiences they had. Many of those experiences I've heard, many of them I can only dream about. . . . To think of that chaos and the way in which people died and the way in which people potentially are still dying, I allowed myself to really think of that and to weep for them this morning."

He talked about his faith, pointed to Psalm 23 as inspiration.

He talked about a old hymn that has inspired him, part of which goes, "Through the storming gale and the raging floods my hope remains steadfast in Him."

He also talked about the future.

"You know, that's a real complex question and people have been arguing that question for a long time," Wuerffel said. "I don't propose that I can answer that but I do know this, I do believe that God is in control, I believe that God is good and there are lots of things about the world we live in that aren't the way they should be.

"There are natural disasters, the worst part of humanity has come in the city in the aftermath, yet I believe in all that somehow God is doing things that inevitably will be good," Wuerffel said.

"Romans 8:28, it says, 'We know that all things work together for good.' All things aren't good, but all things can work together for good and part of my faith reminds me that this is not my ultimate home and things will not be ideal here, but we have the opportunity to do a lot of good."

[lillygator]

Way to go Gators!

Miss Jasmine - I bet we crossed paths at UF too...

Both football weekends there have been lots of fundraising on campus as well.

[Miss Jasmine]

Way to go Gators!

Miss Jasmine - I bet we crossed paths at UF too...

Both football weekends there have been lots of fundraising on campus as well.
I find out that these boards are quite the Small World. Lisa, who posted on this thread, may have also crossed your path. ;)

I am sooo glad to hear about all the fundraising. I'm sure the same will happen this weekend as well. Go Gators! :goodvibes