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Lafayette’s Tsunami Relief Committee has set a goal of raising $20,000 for CARE during the spring and fall semesters. About $1,000 has been collected through various fundraisers sponsored by student groups.
“We’re getting ready to send out a fundraising letter to the whole campus and will continue to support student or faculty/staff groups who want to hold some form of fundraising event,” says Char Gray, director of the Landis Community Outreach Center, which organized the committee.
The College community honored tsunami victims through a candlelight vigil held Feb. 2 on the Farinon College Center steps. Speakers included President Arthur J. Rothkopf ’55; Gray; Chaplain John Colatch; Patti Price ’75, deputy director of the Northeast region of CARE; Mevan Jayasinghe ’08 (Colombo, Sri Lanka); and Inku Subedi ’05 (Katmandu, Nepal), a double major in anthropology & sociology and psychology.
“The idea was to bring the Lafayette community together and express some sort of unity in response to the disaster,” says Emily Fogelberg ’05 (Plymouth, Minn.), a double major in economics & business and history.
During the vigil, Jayasinghe expressed his feelings about the impact of the tsunamis.
“I was fortunate enough to receive the news of the tsunami tragedy from my parents on the telephone and so I was able to confirm the safety of my immediate family,” he says. “However, as the weeks passed by, I received news of many friends who were yet unaccounted for and others who had lost several family members to the merciless waves.”
“It was frustrating to be unable to approach and console my friends and family during the worst times,” says Jayasinghe. “Being so far away from home, I could only hope that things would get better. I owe it to my professors and companions at Lafayette for supporting me morally during those difficult and helpless times.”
The following day, students and faculty displayed their poker prowess at a no-limit Texas Hold’em tsunami relief poker tournament hosted by Phi Kappa Psi fraternity at Gilbert’s.
“The event was considered a success by everyone involved,” says Phi Psi president Tom Marsella ’06 (Woonsocket, R.I.), an anthropology and sociology major. “The players kept a good attitude throughout and everyone had a great time. Some players even made donations to the fund, and the winner made a contribution from his cash prize.”
Phi Psi philanthropy chairman Collin LaCasse ’06 (North Andover, Ma.), a biology major, brought the idea to the brotherhood. More than 25 people competed for the $100 first prize and the second prize of a $50 Wawa gift card. Although the tournament was not broadcast on ESPN and the winner did not receive a gold watch or briefcase full of large bills, players donated $10 to play and those who just wanted to watch also donated enough money to raise approximately $200 to aid tsunami relief.
Including donations received after the tournament, the final tsunami relief donation total was $260.
The Tsunami Relief Committee will organize more events and help other efforts as well.
“The tsunami committee is a platform provided for various organizations and individuals who want to be involved in fundraising activities,” says Subedi. “If a [campus] organization wants to arrange their own events and needs support and resources, the committee may act as a liaison with another organization interested in sponsoring or supporting the event.”
Asian Culture Association plans to host a dinner raffle and Elaine Reynolds, associate professor of biology and chair of neuroscience, held a bake sale with her daughter.
“Students, faculty, and staff getting together to initiate the relief effort in itself is the first step we are taking to fulfill our global responsibility,” Subedi says.
For information on getting involved, contact the Landis Community Outreach Center at x5553.