‘We had to do something,’ Lansing tattoo shop hosts fundraiser to support MSU victims

By Tianna Jenkins

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    LANSING, Michigan (WSYM) — Many people have been coming together to support the Michigan State University Community after last week’s tragedy. On Sunday, hundreds showed up to Ink Therapy in Lansing to help raise money for the families of the victims.

“I remember sitting on the couch with my wife when we heard about last Monday’s events, and it was just so surreal. It felt like we have kids that are in school. Our families have went through Michigan State University,” Ink Therapy Owner Corey Warren said. “Majority of our clients come from Michigan State. The pain that we felt our hearts that went out to the victims families and all the students at Michigan State. It was at that point, we just felt like we had to do something.”

So they created INK 4 MSU, a fundraiser that would help the families that were affected by this tragedy.

“Whether their children are still struggling in the hospital, we will help them equally to those that are no longer with us,” Warren said.

For $40, people were able to get pre-selected Michigan State University tattoos with the choice of black or green ink. Stencils included everything from from the Spartan head to the encouraging words Spartan Strong. And if tattoos weren’t their thing, they were also able to get standard piercings at the same price to help support.

Fifty percent of the profits will be donated straight to the families of the victims.

“We do not intend to make or want to make any sort of a profit. We have T-shirts that we are selling here. One hundred percent of the T-shirt money is going to the families and any donations above and beyond that is all going back again to just really concrete the message that this is not about Ink Therapy or us as a business. This is about Michigan State University, those students and those families affected.”

As the day went on, many faces of the community came to get a tattoo that will stay with them forever.

Bath High School teachers Alisha Clavelli and Tori Steingreaber also showed up to support the MSU community.

“We’re both graduates of Michigan State, and we love it, and it just affected our community. So we wanted to do whatever we could to help out,” Steingreaber said.

Steingreaber also brought her son with her to support her Spartan family.

“I just I really liked the Spartan head. I think it’s a symbol of MSU, but I love that the heart is inside of it because like, our heart is there, and I mean that was my home whenever I moved from California to Michigan,” Clavelli said.

Warren says there were even people who didn’t live close by that stopped in.

“We have people that drove an hour, two hours, out of state that came all the way here to support,” Warren said.

Regardless of where they lived, they all had one goal to support a community they hold dear to their hearts.

“It’s about unifying our community and saying we’re here for you, students of Michigan State, families of the victims, those still struggling in the hospital, we’re here for you. We stand behind you,” Warren said.

Ink Therapy will be continuing their fundraiser through the end of the week for anyone who couldn’t make it out on Sunday.

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