We absolutely applaud and support a fundraising effort being coordinated by a Northern Michigan University student who took on the project for one simple reason: He loves the Marquette-area community and wants to do something to help during these troubled times.

“Unite Marquette” was the brainchild of Joshua Gosseck, a finance major at NMU and a recipient of the four-year Green to Gold Scholarship.

In a nutshell, here’s now the fundraising, which is ending today, works: go to the Unite Marquette Facebook page at Facebook.com /unitemarquette, Mining Journal coverage of the issue detailed.

Following a link there will take the visitor to a LoyalTees page at https;//loyaltees.clothing/unitemqt where the mask and T-shirt, featuring a design of an ore dock, can be purchased.

All of the proceeds will go to support Marquette businesses.

The Journal story also noted that after the fundraising period ends, a Facebook drawing will be announced to provide gift cards to community members who supported the campaign and patronized their favorite Marquette businesses.

“Growing up in the Marquette area, I understand the tight-knit bond that the residents have within our community,” Gosseck, a U.S. Army veteran, said in a news release. “This made me confident that we could help local businesses in a different way: fundraising and giving back gift cards to not only support local businesses.”

There is still time to get involved in this very worthwhile effort.

We recommend Journal readers seriously consider it.