Chancellor's Message on the Southeast Asia Disaster
Released: December 30, 2004
Related Story: Impact on Whitewater community, Click here
Dear friends:
The human toll from the tsunami and flooding that struck Southeast Asia Dec. 26 has grown more tragic and devastating each day. A long-term and unprecedented relief effort will be needed to help these nations recover from the disaster.
At UW-Whitewater, the impact is being felt directly by the families of more than two dozen students, faculty and staff who are natives of the affected countries of Sri Lanka, India and Thailand. As a university, we express our heartfelt concern for their families and friends at home and will work to offer support for the relief effort.
International students who have questions or need support may contact the 24-hour campus response line at (262) 472-1320or International Programs at (262) 472-5178.
Sri Lanka natives Sobitha and Geethamali Samaranayake, both professors of mathematical and computer sciences, are working with the Sri Lankan community in Milwaukee to lead a direct relief campaign to that country. If you wish to learn more about that effort, please contact the couple at (262) 472-9361.
This tragedy is a poignant reminder of how interconnected the world has become. Please consider giving support to our local international community as well as giving financially to an appropriate relief organization. Contact information for some of the major relief agencies are listed below:
HOW TO HELP:
- Sri Lanka disaster relief fund, http://www.aidlanka.org
- American Friends Service Committee (AFSC Crisis Fund) 1501 Cherry Street Philadelphia, PA., 215-241-7000, afsc.org? href?http:>http://www.afsc.org
- American Red Cross International Response Fund PO Box 37243 Washington, DC 20013 800-HELP NOW, http://www.redcross.org
- Direct Relief International, 27 South La Patera Lane, Santa Barbara, CA 93117, 805-964-4767, http://www.directrelief.org
- Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres, PO Box 2247, New York, NY 10116-2247, 888-392-0392, http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org
- Prime Minister's National Relief Fund -- India, Prime Minister's Office, South Block, New Delhi -- 110001, India. http://pmindia.nic.in/relieffund.htm
- The United Way has set up a Web site for making online contributions for relief efforts, http://www.unitedway.org/tsunamiresponse
- Brian Mattmiller,npa@uww.edu
