FARMVILLE – Longwood University Student Government Association President Brandon Fry has written a letter of apology to Farmville for student behavior during the Sunday, February 19 snowfall.

The letter and its apology were praised by Town officials during Town Council's March work session.

After Town Manager Gerald Spates read the letter aloud, Ward B council member Sally Thompson didn't hesitate with her response.

“Excellent letter,” she said enthusiastically.

“Very honorable,” agreed At-Large council member David E. Whitus.

In the letter, addressed to Spates, Town Council and the “Farmville Community,” Fry writes, “On behalf of the Student Government Association and the Student Body at Longwood University, I would like to apologize for our behavior during the snowfall of February 19, 2012. Longwood University firmly believes in the concept of citizen leadership and extending a helping hand to our community whenever the call is needed.

“Our actions,” he writes, “did not promote what it means to be a citizen leader and I would like to send our deepest apologies to the Farmville Community. A citizen leader is someone who holds themselves to a higher standard, someone who is caring, honest, respectful and responsible.”

On that Sunday evening a sofa was burned in the middle of Buffalo Street as approximately 200 people, most of them Longwood students, according to police, converged as the winter's only snow fell.

A fire truck-the Farmville Volunteer Fire Department's ladder truck- was diverted from a house fire in town to deal with the sofa fire and became stuck trying to respond, putting it out of commission until a heavy duty tow truck could be summoned from out of town to pull it free.

The Buffalo Street incident also required members of the Farmville Police Department to deal with the situation on a night that was already incident-filled because of the treacherous driving conditions.

Referring to the behavior on Buffalo Street that night, Town Council member Whitus observed, however, “I think the issue is probably just a few students.”

Spates replied, “it is.”

In his letter, Fry notes the efforts made to enhance the relationship between the Town and Longwood and pledges that “the Student Government Association believes in this relationship and is willing to assist our community in any way possible.

“Farmville is extremely important to the Longwood community as it supports some of our deepest traditions such as: Rock the Block, the Big Event, the G.A.M.E., Oktoberfest, Spring Weekend and many more,” he continues. “If we did not have the support of Farmville, these traditions would not continue to exist. I would like to thank you for supporting the students of Longwood University and look forward to working together to make this community better.”