Charity in the Square

President George W. Bush has repeatedly encouraged America to return to work and create a sense of “normalcy,” but to do so without forgetting the dire consequences of last Tuesday’s terrorist attacks. Tealuxe, in the friendly confines of Harvard Square, has taken the president’s message in stride and tomorrow will be providing all its teas, hot or cold, free of charge. Instead of asking customers to pay for the beverages, they suggest that donations be left for the families of the rescue workers who perished in the collapse of the World Trade Center towers.

Similarly, students passing by the Science Center tomorrow at lunchtime should buy one of the Ben & Jerry’s “peace pops” sold there for dessert. In an effort coordinated by the Phillips Brooks House Association, volunteers will be selling ice cream donated by Brian Queen, the manager of the local Ben & Jerry’s franchise. The pops will be sold for their normal price of $3, and all of the proceeds will go to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

We welcome the generous and considerate offers of Tealuxe and Ben & Jerry’s. The rescue workers gave their lives to help others, and the nation owes their families its condolences, gratitude and support. We also commend the many other stores in Harvard Square that have attempted in different ways to support their country in a difficult time. It has been impossible to miss the collections for myriad charities, the uplifting messages of support or the simple but heartfelt flying of the American flag that has taken place all around us. News coverage has clearly demonstrated that this reassuring trend is not merely confined to Cambridge, Mass. Businesses and private citizens across the country are working to restore national pride and to offer practical assistance to those Americans who need it most.

Meanwhile, we encourage everyone in the Square tomorrow to head up to the Science Center or down to Zero Brattle Street, grab a popsicle or drink and donate generously to the cause. On a hot day, iced tea and ice cream can be almost as refreshing as a helpful, generous and noble act.