In light of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan on March 11, The Japanese Cultural Club and Gay Straight Alliance have taken the initiative to set up a fundraiser in order to help raise money.
“No one could have really prepared for a disaster like this, and even Japan was relatively prepared to begin with. It could have so easily happened to us, and it is a wake-up call to western nations,” Ashley Arikawa, Japanese Cultural Club president, said.
“So many people in Japan are currently displaced and they are in need of a lot of supplies, as well as money to rebuild their communities. As a cultural club, we thought it was necessary to do whatever we could to help their cause.”
The club’s goals are to raise as much money as they can, and all of the money will be donated to the Japan America Society of Southern California, a non-profit, non-political organization that will forward funds to experienced, non-governmental disaster relief agencies in Japan that have a proven track record of emergency humanitarian relief and restoration and development of destroyed areas, Lori Suekawa, club adviser, said.
“We all have to help each other out in times of need,” David Park, Japanese Cultural Club member, said.
The club plans to have tables set up on the Schauerman Library for two weeks, from March 28-31 as well as April 4-7. Volunteers from the club will be at the tables on those days from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. accepting donations, and the club hopes to also create money via T-shirt sales, although this idea is still in the making.
“It’s been great seeing the club take initiative,” club Advisor Susan Oda-Omori, Transfer Center Coordinator and club adviser, said.
The club members are very passionate about the cause and are anxious to do all they can to raise money to donate towards the relief efforts.”
The Inter-Club Council has lent its hand to help, along with Society of Music, architecture club, and the Inter Disciplinary Exploration Artisan’s Society (IDEAS) Art club. The club has also received help from Faculty and International students.
“We want to convey to students that much of Japan is still in chaos and destruction,” Arikawa said. “The death toll has exceeded 10,000 and is rising as the days pass and bodies are still being recovered.”
“Even though the disaster has not been getting as much press in the past week, the people of Japan still need all of our help,” Arikawa said.
For Takashi Hanano, vice president of the Japanese Cultural Club this event is very important to him.
“We have people in Japan that are homeless right now. People are suffering from the earthquake and tsunami,” Hanana said. “We want to help them. We want to sent money and we want to send clothes and give them food.”
