Over the past few weeks Binghamton University students have united in order to raise money to help cover ill BU student Mayra Rodriguez’s medical expenses. Rodriguez contracted bacterial meningitis while studying abroad in Spain this semester and is currently recovering at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Since word of her illness broke, parties have been thrown in her honor, tabling has taken place in the University Union and now the Student Association is making plans to join the effort.

The Student Assembly passed a resolution March 12, calling for bracelets to be sold in Rodriguez’s honor for $1 each with all proceeds going to the Mayra Fund, which was established to pay her mounting hospital bills.

‘I saw a Facebook group dedicated to her recovery and I figured it was something that the SA should do,’ said Matt Landau, one of the resolution’s co-authors and a representative for Newing College.

Landau said he hoped that organizers could obtain between 2,000 and 2,500 of the maroon bracelets to be be sold at tables in every housing community and the New University Union.

The idea came from the ‘Save the South’ bracelets the SA sold last fall to raise money for Hurricane Katrina victims. Landau figured they would be a good fund-raising tool because of the low price.

‘I knew they did the bracelets last year for Katrina and I figured they were cheap [enough] that people would buy them for a dollar,’ Landau said.

The bracelets, which may be stamped with ‘Mayra,’ should be ready for sale by mid-April.

Boris Tadchiev, the resolution’s other author and a Hinman College representative, said that they would have liked to have had the bracelets ready sooner, but that it took the SA time to pick up the issue.

‘This is the SA’s job ‘ to help students,’ he said.

Despite the late start, Landau and Tadchiev remain optimistic about the sale.

‘I think it will go well if we can get all the communities involved,’ Landau said.

Tabling will be taking place for the Mayra Fund in the Union today from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Any additional donations can be sent to:

El Centro Hispano, Inc.

346 South Lexington Ave.

White Plains, N.Y. 10606.