I don’t have to tell you that Alabama–and much of the South–just got devastated by a series of tornadoes, because I’m sure you’ve heard. Right now, it’s impossible to consider the enormity of the damage–not just in terms of destruction to property, but in loss of life. Coming to terms with the ramifications is going to be a difficult process, even harder for those directly affected. The pictures, frankly, cast a harrowing image of a post-apocalyptic wasteland. It’s beyond scary, and if you’re the type who prays to some higher being, this would be the time to do that.

But we–the Penn State blogosphere–have also got a more tangible idea for supporting the Alabamans affected by the storm, and we’re hoping you’ll help us help them.

Obviously, Penn State played the Crimson Tide down in Tuscaloosa last year, and for a point of reference, here’s how close the storm came to Bryant-Denny Stadium. But here’s the thing, and what’s prompting this reaction from across the Penn State blogosphere–Nittany Lion fans who went to the game were treated with nothing but the utmost respect–for our program, for our team, and yes, for the thousands who made the trek down into the heart of red country. The Alabamans showed us that southern hospitality wasn’t a myth, and they made us feel welcome. But now, many of the places that we visited last fall, which laid right in the path of the storm, no longer exist.

The goodwill even extended beyond Tuscaloosa–Alabama fans and bloggers reached out with humility, deference, and kind words even on the internet, and on message boards, where that kind of thing rarely happens. We may have lost that game, but we gained friends, and we were excited to welcome them into our backyard this year. But now, those Crimson Tide fans can’t be looking ahead to the game like we are. They’re dealing with a much more pressing concern, and we want to help any way we can.

So we’re partnering up with our friends at Victory Bell Rings, Linebacker-U, Black Shoe Diaries, and JoePa’s Doghouse–and the Red Cross–to try and raise some money to aid in recovery efforts. As in the wake of just about every natural disaster, the Red Cross will be providing emergency relief to those who need it most, and we’d hope you could spare however much you can for the cause. I’m a broke college student finishing out my semester with ramen noodles and Easy Mac, but even my $10 will make a difference.

Now here’s what Ben Jones, who runs Victory Bell Rings and contributes to Black Shoe Diaries is suggesting: he’s set up a PayPal account where you can donate, and he’ll forward that along to the Red Cross as one lump sum from the Penn State blogosphere.  The instructions to do that are here.

But if you’re not totally comfortable with that, it’s more than okay. You can text “REDCROSS” to 90999 to give the same $10, or you can use the Red Cross’ website to give as much or as little as you’d like. This is the suggested course of action from the Red Cross, the “best way” to give our help.

Don’t worry, readers. There will be a time for playful mockery, based off hackneyed old stereotypes that clearly have no basis in modern society. When our friends down south are back on their feet, and September is coming up soon, we’ll have some fun. But now, this transcends any rivalry, and any distinctions between us.

If you feel compelled to share your donation in the comment section, I’d encourage it, because I feel that might help spur more donations. If not, don’t let me stop you from offering a helping hand. Let’s show the rest of the country–and Alabama–how seriously Penn State takes “success with honor.”

So if it helps you think if it in these terms: What Would JoePa Do?