Indiana State SAE helps with tornado clean-up in Sullivan, Indiana

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by Jevan McCoskey, Multimedia Journalist at WTHI-TV 10. https://www.wthitv.com/news/local-isu-fraternity-continues-to-volunteer-in-sullivan/article_b111ae8c-d8bc-11ed-b82e-77180bf4f13f.html

SULLIVAN, Ind. (WTHI) – When an EF3 tornado came through the city of Sullivan the night of March 31st, Indiana State fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon knew they wanted to help. When Sullivan Mayor Clint Lamb announced ways to volunteer, the SAE brothers jumped at the opportunity. 

The fraternity traveled to Sullivan three different days. Rocco Roshel is a member of the fraternity and graduated from Sullivan high school just last year. To him, coming to volunteer was never an option. 

“Chris is really the one that got it together,” he said. “He was like hey we need to go down and help and I was like you are absolutely right.” 

Members of SAE say they are not volunteering for a pat on the back. Rather, they are doing it for the Sullivan community and their brother Rocco. 

“I think this just shows him that we have that brotherly bond and that what they are going through we are going through with him,” said Christopher Ellis, a member of SAE. “We are just all one big family.” 

SAE president Kapil Reddy says coming to support the Sullivan community was an easy call. 

“Being from Terre Haute very nearby Sullivan, obviously Rocco being a part of the chapter now, seeing this community go through something like this is devastating,” he said. “We just want to do our part to help out as much as we can.” 

Roshel says it meant a lot to him that his fraternity never hesitated to support the city of Sullivan. 

“I love just coming back,” he said. “Especially coming to a town that took me in with open arms, you know, I got to go to school here. It is great people in this town, they are all nice. They will take the shirt off their back and give it to you so it is nice that I get to come back and do it for them.”