Student group to hold donation drive for China quake victims

The IU Chinese Student and Scholar Association will hold a campus-wide donation drive for victims of the May 12 earthquake in China this Tuesday and Thursday. Donations will benefit relief efforts by organizations such as the Red Cross Society of China and MercyCorps, who are actively helping quake victims and their families.\nDonations will be accepted by IUCSSA at various locations on campus. On Tuesday, donation boxes will be set up at Ballantine Hall, the Indiana Memorial Union and the Sample Gates. On Thursday, donations will be collected at the Sample Gates, the IMU and Campus View Apartments.\n“The IU Chinese community is greatly saddened by the disaster,” said Si Qin, IUCSSA spring 2008 president and a native of Sichuan Province in China, where the earthquake hit. “Almost every Chinese I know has been closely following the event and trying to help in any way they can.”\nAn earthquake of 7.9 magnitude shook Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, at about 3:10 p.m. May 12, according to the U.S. Geological Survey’s Web site. Chinese government officials estimated that three million homes were destroyed by the earthquake, and more than 12 million were damaged, according to a May 18 New York Times article. A subsequent article from the same day estimated that more than 32,000 people were killed in the quake.\n“The tragedy in China has united the Chinese community,” said Yan Jin, IUCSSA’s president. “The Chinese community in Bloomington has been very supportive and helpful to the victims so far. I have witnessed the great love and the concern they have for the people when it comes to giving.” \nIUCSSA, however, hopes to reach out to more than just the Chinese community in Bloomington, Jin said. \n“Members of IUCSSA, and non-members even, have made class presentations appealing to peers to donate to victims of the quake since the disaster took place,” Yan said. “Organizations like the Asian Culture Center, Asian Student Union and International Center have also helped to spread the word of the need for help via e-mails and announcements on notice boards.” \nMoney collected from the donation drive will be given to organizations that will in turn use the money for medical supplies for the injured as well as necessities for the homeless such as food, shelter and clothing, said Qiong You, IUCSSA secretary.\n“A lot will be needed to rebuild the lives of the victims of the disaster,” Qiong said. “We will announce how money received will be used. More importantly, we hope the drive raises awareness of the plight in China.” \nStudents who are not able to donate Tuesday or Thursday can donate online. The IUCSSA Web site has links to MercyCorps, One Foundation, Canadian Red Cross and GlobalGiving Web sites, which allow for online donations, Qiong said.\nAnyone who wants to give more than monetary contributions can also express condolences through letters to victims of the quake. Supporters can also help raise awareness of the suffering of quake victims who are injured, experiencing the tragic loss of loved ones or are left homeless, Yan said.\n“IU students can spread the word amongst friends of the suffering in China and the need for help,” Yan said. “They can also provide a spirit of comfort through letters of encouragement.”\nSi agreed, saying that the best way to help the victims is through donations and spreading the word of the tragedy.\n“We need to let people know how serious the situation is and how big a difference one can make to help,” he said.