Community contributes to tsunami relief efforts By Sophia Fischer sfischer@theacorn.com

Mirroring worldwide response, residents of the Conejo Valley and surrounding areas are reaching out to victims of the tsunami disaster in Southern Asia.

Local schools, religious groups, civic organizations and individuals are raising money, organizing rebuilding teams to send to affected areas and researching ways to help orphaned children.

The Acorn will run updates on local tsunami relief efforts. This is the first installment.

Community-wide

coalition forming

"I know a lot of individual groups in the community are doing things and that’s wonderful, but there may be things we can do together," said Father David Galletly of St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church in Thousand Oaks.

In an effort to coordinate or build on those efforts, members of St. Patrick’s held an initial planning meeting early in January and hosted another discussion Thurs., Jan 13 at the church.

The group named itself the Conejo Compassion Coalition for Tsunami Relief. Its first effort will be a candlelight vigil to be held on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, this Mon., Jan. 17 from 7 to 8 p.m. at St. Julie Billiart Catholic Church, 2475 Borchard Road, Newbury Park.

"Bring candles, bring your caring heart, bring compassionate friends and cash or a check to aid the group you wish," said coalition member Sherrill Hyink of Thousand Oaks. Participants can choose from a list of charities where they want their donation sent.

"This is something we can do collectively that none of us can do singly," said Bob Bland, coalition coordinator. "We envision this as a long-term effort, a series of events and programs that will go on for awhile."

One participant at the meeting, a native of Sri Lanka who now lives in Thousand Oaks, talked about her concern for the children orphaned by the tsunami.

"What’s bothering me is that the children without parents will end up as servants in rich homes and will not go to school," said the woman, who preferred not to give her name.

Others in attendance included Ahmed Patel, Imam of the Islamic Center in Newbury Park, who announced that his congregation has raised $5,000 to be donated to the Red Cross.

Kirk DeWitt of Calvary Community Church in Westlake Village said his congregation is funneling donations to missionaries in Thailand and Sri Lanka. The church is organizing research and needs assessment teams as well as groups of members who will travel to those areas to help with rebuilding efforts. Others in attendance at the meeting included representatives from Living Oaks, King of Glory Lutheran Church, the Rotary Club in Newbury Park, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Conejo Valley, Westminster Presbyterian; Conejo Valley Congregational Church, Covenant Players, in Oxnard, and Church World Service.

The group’s second activity will be a CROP (Communities Reaching Out to People) Walk on March 13. Other ideas that came out of the meeting included setting up an information/donation table at The Oaks mall, creating a sister-city partnership between Thousand Oaks and one of the devastated communities, and researching and recommending organizations to receive donations.

For information, call (805) 495-6441.

Los Cerritos Middle School

students come through

Even kids can be part of the relief efforts, believes Sherrill Hyink, a sixth-grade service club advisor at Los Cerritos Middle School in Thousand Oaks.

Hyink made up cards depicting a hand catching a wave that reads "Helping Hands." She made announcements at school over a four-day period last week and then walked around during lunch giving out the cards and offering small treats like candy and homework passes in exchange for donations from the students. Teachers collected from their classes and several families made donations.

"I want to make schoolkids aware of what goes on in the community and see if they can help in some way," said Hyink, who taught at Los Cerritos for a decade before retiring two years ago.

More than $2,700 was raised and will be given to the Red Cross for distribution.

T.O. High School

students to raise $10,000

The school’s International Relief Club set a goal to raise $10,000 toward relief efforts, according to Adam Potischman, club secretary. Donation packets are being distributed to classrooms, and students plan to sell rubber-band-like bracelets similar to the Lance Armstrong "Livestrong" bracelets. The drive is being called the "T.O. 10K."

Community Foundation

establishes relief fund 

The Ventura County Community Foundation (VCCF) has established a Tsunami Relief Fund to make it easier for Ventura County residents to donate to the worldwide relief efforts. 

The fund is being seeded with a $9,000 challenge grant from the foundation’s Special and Urgent Needs Fund.

"Our foundation is doing what it can by providing a safe and effective way for members of our community to support the relief efforts going out to the thousands of families and children whose lives have been devastated by this unbelievable tragedy," said VCCF Board Chair Mary L. Schwabauer.

All contributions made through the VCCF will be distributed to support the international relief efforts of the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and Direct Relief International.

VCCF will waive all fees for contributions to these funds and suggests that donations be made prior to Jan. 24 in order to provide the resources by the end of the month. Contributions can be mailed to VCCF–Tsunami Relief Fund at 1317 Del Norte Road, Suite 150, Camarillo, CA 93010, or made online at www.vccf.org.

La Reina

raises record amount

Once a month, La Reina High students are permitted to leave their school uniforms at home and wear jeans. When they do, they donate $1, which goes toward supporting a mission in Uganda. With around 575 students, the Thousand Oaks Catholic school usually raises between $500 to $600 monthly.

This month’s jeans day, held last week, raised a record $13,845, which will be sent to a tsunami relief fund. In addition to the students, the 60 faculty and staff members and several families made donations.

"We’re really proud of our students and their generosity," said Jo Dransfeldt, director of development and a 1994 La Reina graduate.

The Acorn will run an ongoing column highlighting local tsunami relief efforts.

To submit information for the column please contact Sophia Fischer at sfischer2@yahoo.com or fax your submission to (818) 706-8733.