Campus groups match concern with action, donations

Following an IU-held forum on the tsunami that struck Southeast Asia last month, 20 student and community groups held an information session and fund-raising drive Thursday night in the Solarium of the Indiana Memorial Union to solicit donations for the victims of the natural disaster.\nAmid the cello and violin music, students, staff and members of the community mingled and discussed how best to participate in the relief effort. The music was preformed by the Humours, a group that will be donating proceeds to the Red Cross from a performance at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater Sunday. \nAssociate Director of Student Activities Darrell Stone said the event was organized following massive student concern and inquires on how to get involved. Stone said the participating student groups have met twice already this semester. They have committed to provide long-term assistance to the relief effort and follow up on their commitments through periodic meetings.\n"It's a beautiful experience to watch students understand (global grief) innately and put real action to their feelings and a voice to their passion for causes that involve humanity, the bigger global picture," Stone said.\nKaran Chaudhri, financial chair of the Indian Student Association, said his organization would be adopting two children through a larger aid organization and would hold a fund-raising dinner later this semester.\n"Since we are a student organization and a lot of these kids are students," he said, "we thought it would be best to provide them with the essential things in life that they'll need which they won't really get. The loss of a parent is hard to replace, but we can fulfill some void in their life." \nThe Indiana Public Interest Research Group is teaming up with food facilities at the Indiana Memorial Union, Main Library and School of Education Snack Bar in a project called "Double My Meal for Tsunami Relief." Patrons at these establishments may donate money at the registers that will be given to Oxfam.\nGlobal Village member Shilpa Jindia said the student organization she is involved with plans to provide both short-term and long-term donations for the victims of the tsunami through community-wide restaurant donation drives.\n"Our goal right now is to raise $4,500 to get a water tank for 750 people which provides clean water for them daily," she said.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Rami Chami at rchami@indiana.edu.