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UNBC students raising funds to help earthquake victims |
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Written by MYRISSA KRENZLER
Citizen staff
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Friday, 16 May 2008 |
UNBC students raise funds for the China earthquake relief effort. From left to right are Jinjun Tong, Zheng Zhe He, Dainel Li, Steve Xia and Xiaoxi Zhang. (Citizen photo by Brent Braaten)
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Steve Xia, Daniel Li and Chuang Gao are on exchange to UNBC from Beijing. They decided to start a fundraising campaign when they heard about the 7.9 magnitude earthquake that hit their home country on Monday.
"I need to do something for my country ... so many children died there and many people lost their homes," Xia said.
Xia, Li and Gao set up a table in the Winter Garden at UNBC starting Wednesday and they, along with about 15 other Chinese exchange students have raised $2,000. Of that total, $1,000 was donated by the university through the president's office.
Askua King, acting UNBC English Language Studies co-ordinator, said students raised $540 on their first day.
"We ... appreciate how many people help us," Li said. He said he wants the money they raise to go towards food and medical care for the earthquake victims.
"We need everything. We need doctors to help with the earthquake."
While their families aren't directly affected, Xia and Li know students attending UNBC who are from the Sichuan province.
"Sichuan province is one of the biggest provinces in China and they have most of (the) population there so you find a lot of people here (who are from that area)," Li said.
Rescuers pulled survivors from the rubble in Beichuan Friday who had been buried for four days as a strong aftershock sparked landslides near the epicentre of China's powerful earthquake.
The first foreign rescue workers since Monday's magnitude 7.9 temblor were allowed to the scene, and helicopters dropped leaflets urging people to “unite together” and providing survival tips.
The official death toll for the quake was last set at 22,069 and it's expected to rise to 50,000.
China has received more then $100 million in international aid and more then $10 million in materials.
All the money UNBC students raise will go directly to the Canadian Red Cross. From there, the money is transferred to the Chinese Red Cross Society where it's used to buy tents, quilts, water, food and first-aid supplies.
The students plan on having their table at the Winter Garden until next Friday and they will have a table set up at the Farmer's Market all day today.
Sherri Flavel, disaster management co-ordinator for the Canadian Red Cross Northern B.C. and Yukon region, praised the students' fundraising efforts. "Community fundraisers are absolutely great alternatives," she said.
She said if any other groups are planning fundraising efforts they should contact the Red Cross to make sure their efforts are successful.
Lauder said the Canadian government announced Friday it would match all private donations going towards China and Myanmar relief funds. He said that it's important groups go through the Red Cross to make sure proper receipts are issued to those who donate so that funds raised can be matched accurately.
The China Cup Buffet has also joined fundraising efforts. On May 24, the restaurant will donate half of its total sales to the relief fund. Stella Lo, one of the restaurant's owners, expects they'll raise more than $4,000 that day.
"All of our families and employees want to help," Lo said. She said China Cup has donated to relief funds before, but never to this extent. "This time it's more serious," she said.
Lo also said that all employees are volunteering to work that day and they have donated their wages for that day to add to the restaurant's donation.
If you would like to donate to the China or Myanmar relief funds, you can call the Red Cross at 1-800-418-1111 or visit their website: www.redcross.ca.
-- With files from the Canadian Press
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 08 October 2008 )
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