Donated $250!
DONATION CLASS TO SUPPORT TSUNAMI VICTIMS
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
5:30pm - 7pm

Please join us for Tom's 5:30pm class on January 19, which will be donation-based. 100% of the money collected will be sent to Oxfam America in support of its on-the-ground work in Asia to help communities hit by the December 26th Tsunami. 

On December 26, 2004, the biggest earthquake in 40 years shook the sea floor beneath the Indian Ocean near the Indonesian Island of Sumatra. The quake measured 9 on the magnitude scale, and abruptly pushed the sea floor up over 30 feet along a 600-mile-long fault line.

The seismic activity generated a massive ocean surge, known as a tsunami, which sped across the surface of the ocean. This wave was described in press reports by eyewitnesses as higher than 45 feet. The tsunami crashed into seacoast communities in Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Burma, and the Andaman and Maldive Islands. Countries as far away as Somalia, Kenya, and Tanzania suffered fatalities, but the most deaths occurred in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Indonesia.

Estimates of the fatalities and damage are still being calculated, but as of January 1st, there were as many as 155,000 people dead and over a million homeless. Officials at the United Nations Under-Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland estimated that for every fatality there were four serious injuries. He described the effort now under way to assist the people affected by this disaster as the "biggest relief operation ever."

Oxfam America is an international development and disaster-relief organization, dedicated to creating lasting solutions to hunger, poverty and social injustice around the world. Because Oxfam works with local partners and focuses on long-term aid, it was able to respond effectively within hours to the Asian earthquake disaster. Oxfam has been rushing aid to the most severely affected regions and will continue to support the rebuilding of these communities. Click here to learn more about Oxfam America.

Payment for the January 19 class can be made either by deducting sessions from your class card, or by cash/check/credit card. 100% of the money paid for class will be sent to Oxfam. Students may also contribute additional donations, which we will add to the final amount donated.

Back to Main Page