I’m pretty sure I’d love this even if I wasn’t an SEC brat: in Alabama, some Auburn fans have set aside their long-standing and very bitter rivalry with the University of Alabama to help out the devastated college’s hometown after it bore the brunt of one of the deadliest storms in American history last month. Over the past few weeks, the group Toomer’s for Tuscaloosa has brought truckloads of supplies to needy residents and has organized many other volunteer efforts through their busy, busy Facebook page. As someone on Facebook noted:

A football game pulled Auburn and Alabama apart. Tragedy has brought them together.

It’s all quite remarkable to behold. I get worn out just reading all the updates of all their relief efforts from their Facebook page, which has nearly 85,000 “likes”. People are so into the spirit of this effort that I’ve even seen the term “WarTide!” coined – a combination of Auburn’s “War Eagle!” and Alabama’s “Roll Tide!” Love it.

This is why there is suffering in the world, folks. Unfortunately, it often takes tragedy to bring people together.

“suffering is present in the world in order to release love, in order to give birth to works of love towards neighbour, in order to transform the whole of human civilization into a ‘civilization of love'” -JP II, Salvifici doloris (I think)

Here’s an NBC Nightly News piece on the group:

This is not the first time these rivals have helped each other out, either. During the 2010 college football season, a Crimson Tide fan with “too much Bama” in him poisoned Auburn’s beloved Toomer’s Corner trees after the War Eagles handed the reigning National Champions their third loss of the season. After that some Bama law students formed Tide for Toomer’s and helped raise $50,000 to help save the trees in an act to help unify the two schools and their fans.

Keep up the great work down there everyone, and from this born and raised Gator-baby: “WarTide!”

Visit http://toomersfortuscaloosa.com/ to find out how you can help.