East Lansing community comes together to support Spartans after tragedy

EAST LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - The East Lansing community is continuing to show support for Spartans by giving away food, flowers, and a safe place for students to heal.

Related: MSU students say being together makes grieving process easier

MSU student Addy Schrauben expressed her surprise at the amount of support being shown by the community.

“It’s been really amazing. I’ve actually been kind of surprised with how much has been going on,” said Schrauben.

Buffalo Wild Wings in East Lansing is among the businesses that are doing their part to help the community heal. The restaurant is offering free wings to MSU students.

“We just wanted to do something to give back to the students a little bit, let them know we are here, we do support them,” said general manager Tim Thompson, who served wings to students who came by the restaurant to pick up their free meal.

“It’s a rough time emotionally for a lot of people and I know for myself throughout the years food has always been a great way for me to escape that a little bit,” said Thompson.

It can be an escape whether you’re eating it or making it. For MSU student Kendall Jones, making challah bread for first responders and families at Sparrow Hospital with the Chabad Jewish Center at MSU has been a way to cope with the tragedy.

“It’s just a good release and it takes your mind off of everything,” said Jones. “I was so scared of being safe and sheltered. I couldn’t even imagine being there firsthand and everyone being so brave they deserve this and more.”

Jones said working with her peers and the community has helped her heal.

“There’s something special about being with the students at MSU and the clubs that I’ve always been a part of. It just feels like home even more,” said Jones.

The community’s efforts to support MSU students will continue in the coming days. Mid-Michigan Biggby locations will donate one dollar from each beverage sale Friday to the Spartan Strong Fund, which has already raised nearly $384,000 to help pay for campus healing projects.

Related:

Subscribe to our News 10 newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email every morning.

Copyright 2023 WILX. All rights reserved.