Collegiate Times

Image: 2012-12-04 21:15:32

Though many associate Metallica with hardcore rock and jumping in Lane, the band has shown Tech a caring side.

All of Metallica's proceeds from the Enter Sandman T-shirts that have been sold this semester will go directly towards the Morgan Harrington Scholarship fund.

The T-shirts have been sold by Tech for the football season, and have so far raised over $33,000 for the scholarship. When Tech asked for Metallica's permission to produce the shirts, Metallica agreed on the sole condition that its share went towards the Harrington scholarship.

"This shirt has been on sale since football season. However, we didn't start asking questions until Dan Harrington came to me last week," said Kenny Jarels, who has been helping the Harrington's keep Morgan's story in the media and raise awareness.

Morgan Harrington was a Tech student who went missing in 2009 after a Metallica concert in Charlottesville, Va.  Her body was found the month after.

Her parents, Dan and Gil Harrington, started the scholarship for students in Tech's Carilion medical school, where Morgan Harrington worked as a summer intern with her father.

"The scholarship was started right after Morgan's body was found, so almost three years ago, and we have currently have a little over $100,000 in funds," said Dan Harrington, who heard about the details of the T-shirt proceeds a week ago.

Dan Harrington and his wife started the scholarship in order to try and find some good from the death of their daughter.

"Writing a scholarship in someone else's name is a difficult thing to do, so we were thrilled that Metallica and Virginia Tech had worked together to help raise some money," Dan Harrington said.

In addition to the T-shirt proceeds, Metallica has also donated $50,000 to the Harrington's in order to help with the reward they are offering for any information leading to the conviction of Morgan Harrington's killer.  The reward is currently up to $150,000.

"I think it's just incredible," Dan Harrington said. "What a great idea and such a wonderful thing for Metallica to do." 

The T-shirt was also promoted by Help Save The Next Girl, an organization started to help raise women's awareness and prevent violence against women, particularly female college students.

Jarels was astonished to hear Metallica was still willing to give such help to the Harrington family.

"I was astonished that Metallica would allow Virginia Tech to make it, but gave everything that they made off the T-shirts directly to Morgan's scholarship fund," he said. "It just blew me away." 

Having worked with the Harringtons for almost 3 years, Jarels was also involved in working with Metallica when it offered the reward donation. He has seen its kindness before, but was still surprised.

"You think of Metallica, you think of this hardcore, tattooed, wild and crazy bunch of guys, but these guys are really very caring, loving individuals," Jarels said.

A version of this article appeared in the Dec 5 issue of the Collegiate Times.