Squamish residents looking for a way to help those affected by the devastating earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis in Japan will have the chance to do so during a fundraiser planned this weekend at Brennan Park Recreation Centre.
Kaoko Mori, a Japanese Canadian, on Wednesday (March 16) said she doesn't have a target amount she'd like to raise, but added that she's hopeful locals will reach out in a big way to support the event that's planned on Sunday (March 20) from noon to 3 p.m.
"Squamish is a great community where people really care about each other, so I'm pretty sure lots of people will show up," Mori said.
Mori and her fellow organizers are seeking cash donations on behalf of the Canadian Red Cross's Earthquake/Asia Pacific Tsunami Relief Fund. Sushi Sen is donating sushi, Naked Lunch and Nesters are donating baked goods, Tim Hortons is donating doughnuts and other items, including coffee and tea, will be for sale by donation. Tax receipts will be available to those who donate.
Mori, whose family lives in Tokyo, had booked a flight there this Friday (March 18), but cancelled it last week after learning of the disaster that occurred on Friday, March 11.
"I had to switch my mind and say, 'What can I do now?'" said Mori, a lifeguard and swimming instructor at Brennan Park. "I felt really, really terrible and sad. So that's why I decided to do a fundraiser."
Initially she thought she could collect money and donate it to the Red Cross, but after contacting the organization, she learned that she had to fill out some paperwork to make it an authorized Canadian Red Cross event. Fortunately, that process came together quickly, she said. She also received permission from Squamish council on Tuesday to stage the event at Brennan Park.
She estimated that about 200 Squamish residents are of Japanese descent, adding that she's heard of one family that might still have relatives missing in the disaster.
"Most of my friends, their family is OK," she said.
Mori said her father was on a business trip in northern Japan at the time of the disaster. Because regular home phone service and some cellular service was cut off in many parts of the country, his family didn't hear from him for about 10 hours afterward. Finally, his mother found a pay phone that was working and managed to reach him on his cell phone and find out that he was fine, she said.
