Outreach for disaster victims

News Headline:
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biggest earthquake in 40 years...the death toll surged past 63,000 on Wednesday...survivors told terrifying escape stories...

Another 22,000 were confirmed dead in Sri Lanka...Thousands of European and American tourists remained unaccounted for... Children made up a large proportion of the dead...

...fears of a catastrophic outbreak of disease.

But food and medicine was already desperately short in many stricken regions ... the overall death toll could surpass 100,000.

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...nearly 80,000 refugees in Indonesia's the provincial capital...
About 2,000 bodies were buried in mass graves, but many rotting corpses remained on the streets...
looting had broken out and starvation loomed.

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In Sri Lanka, the toll rose to 18,000
...hundreds of decomposed corpses.
....Mourners used their bare hands to dig graves...

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...4,000 people were confirmed dead in India's...officials said the toll on Car Nicobar alone could top 10,000.
...received no word from dozens of islands in the Andaman and Nicobar chain which stretch over 800 km and were close to the earthquake epicenter.
... vultures gathered as survivors grimly buried or burnt their dead. The number of dead passed 8,500 Tuesday.
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Thousands of foreigners remained missing in Thailand...
...government fears they are dead.
...700 foreign tourists are believed to be among those killed in Thailand.
... full horror wrought by waves up to 10m high that tore babies from the arms of their parents and carried children and the elderly out to sea.
..."People were screaming and kids were screaming all over the place, screaming 'help, help'. And after a few minutes you didn't hear the kids any more."
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Dear friends,
I'm sure you have heard of the disaster that have hit various countries.

We have been so fortunate to be safe and well with our friends and family. The festive period should be a time of sweet reunion with our loved ones. Instead, 'babies were torn away', and 'graves dug with bare hands'. This is no time for you or me to sit around and feel helpless. I think one report put it best: "If within three to four days relief does not arrive, there will be a starvation disaster that will cause mass deaths."

We may not be able to do much, but lets help in any small ways we can to make this easier for our friends in the affected area.

I have included some means of giving donations, various collection point and relief programs. I urge all of you to help in any small ways we can. This festive period, instead of buying gifts and holding parties, donate the money to charities, help out at collection centers, and spring clean, give away your old clothes. This will make your holidays so much more meaningful.


Thank you.
mingde

List of sites of supporting organisations that are sending relief aid, and links to their site:
http://asia.yahoo.com/reliefappeal/

***Mercy Relief***
"In response to this humanitarian crisis, Mercy Relief and its institutional partners. Singapore Soka Association (SSA) & Young Sikh Association (YSA) together with the Singapore Red Cross Society (SRCS) are conducting a nationwide fundraising campaign for the victims of the calamity. This fundraising effort would allow Singaporeans from all walks of life to extend aid and compassion to our fellow neighbours in a substantial and concerted manner. The funds raised will be channelled towards supporting humanitarian relief and rehabilitation operations for more than 12,000 families in the affected countries, and assist in bringing their derailed lives back on track.
For more information, please call Mercy Relief at: 6332 6320"

You can donate though many channels:
-Online,
-Phone,
-Credit Card,
-Cheques,
-direct ATM transfer,
-Internet Banking.

Information at their site:http://www.mercyrelief.org/asiatidal.html

***Singapore Red Cross***
Red Cross House
15 Penang Lane
Singapore 238486

Tel : 6 336 0269
Fax : 6 337 4360
(near Dhoby Ghout MRT)


1.)By chequePlease address the cheque to "Singapore Red Cross Society" and indicate behind the cheque "Tidal Waves Asia". Include name, address and telephone number at the back of the cheque as a receipt will be sent to you.

2.)Donors may wish to come personally to make a donation (either by cash or by cheque) at the Red Cross House, 15 Penang Lane between 9.00am to 5.30pm on weekdays and from 9.30am to 12.30pm on Saturdays.

3) Donors may also make on-line donation at DBS website @ https://internet-banking.dbs.com.sg

For more information, please contact us @ 6334 9152 / 6334 9153 / 6336 0269.


***BF FireFly Mission***
Buddhist Fellowship’s Firefly Mission, together with Tisarana Buddhist Association and Brahm Education Centre are launching a Suffering Relief Program for the Tidal Wave victims in Sri Lanka. We appeal to you for 3 types of assistance:

1. Donation of items:
Medicine, first aid items, sanitary pads, toothbrush, toothpaste, tin food, dry food and CLEAN (new if possible) blankets, towels and clothes. Please pack them in bags or boxes and label them separately, eg.Food, Blankets, medicine. Clothes to be separated and labeled MALE, FEMALE and CHILDREN bag. Boxes are preferred but please do NOT seal.
ALL items are to be sent to Tisarana Buddhist Association at 90 DUKU Road, Off STILL Road (East Coast). Tisarana Buddhist Association contact number is 6345 6741.

2. Donation of cash:
Cash donations are collected at Brahm Education Centre. Cheques are to be made payable to Brahm Education Centre Ltd.
Cash or Cheque made payable to "Brahm Education Centre Ltd" are to be sent to Brahm Education Centre, 9 Lor 29 Geylang #04-02, Singapore 388065.
Please indicate "Suffering Relief Program" on the back of the cheque.
Receipts of items purchased for the victims with the cash donations will be collated and accounts on how the funds are dispensed will be available for inspection at the end of the project.

3. Going to Sri Lanka to Help:
A team of volunteers is being arranged to go to the disaster sites headed by Firefly Mission Coordinators, to assist with the Relief Suffering Program on the ground by educating the victims on hygiene, precautions and dispensation of aid. Anyone interested to join this team, please submit your name to Judy Soon at bfellow@singnet.com.sg. Trip is likely to be during the first weekend of January, to be confirmed.

If you have any questions, please call us at 6842 6422 or 6745 5007.


***Singapore Sinhala Association ***
We are making an appeal to all to put our hearts and hands together and exemplify the spirit of mutuallove and giving. We are collecting items to donateto the victims in Sri Lanka.
The items could beanything that are daily essentials.
For example:Blankets, Clothings, sanitary pads, milk powder,biscuits/cookies, slippers..e.t.c
Kindly deliver your donation items to Marine Parade Family Service Centre before 31 December 2004(Friday) by 5pm.
Address: Blk 53 Marine Terrace #01-227 S440053
Tel:64450100

We will hand over all donated items to SingaporeSinhala Association (SSA) to directly hand over the items to the affected victims.

OR

The Singapore Sinhala Association (SSA) together with theSingapore Sinhala Buddhist Association (SSBA) andMaha Karuna Buddhist Society (MKBS) has commencedwith immediate effect a relief collection drive.
Goods collected in kind or money will be sent to SriLanka within the next few days.
Collection centre is at Sri Lankaramaya Temple, 30C St.Michael¡Çs Road,Singapore.

Following Items are needed urgently.
1.Tents / Blanket / Linen, etc
2.Food (Pre-cooked or Ready-to-eat meal packets)
3.Water Purification Tablets
4.Wheat Flour, Pulses and Rice
5.Drugs (Paracetamol, Antibiotics, Dressing & SutureMaterials, Disposable Syringes)
6.IV Infusion (Saline & Dextrose)
7.Portable Generators .

We are also jointly organizing a special MultiReligious Blessing service on 30th December 2004(Thursday) 7:30 pm at the Temple.
CONTACT 63910031 or 96751695.
Please visit http://www.singaporesinhala.com/disasterrelief/ for more information and updates.
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