The September 11th attack
Hawai'i residents give nearly $250,000 to Red Cross
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By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser Staff Writer
Hawai'i residents and businesses have contributed nearly $250,000 to American Red Cross disaster relief for the East Coast terrorist attacks.
Contributions have come in from collections organized by radio stations, shopping center customers and schools.
American Red Cross communications manager Jocelyn Collado called the response overwhelming. "This is the largest contribution we've received in the shortest amount of time in response to a disaster," she said. "It is unprecedented."
The Red Cross is providing relief to all affected areas, including crisis counseling, shelters, blankets and food.
"From preschoolers donating their pennies to high school and college students conducting coin drivers at school to businesses holding customer donation programs, people in Hawai'i have stepped forward to show their support of the lifesaving relief that the American Red Cross is providing," Collado said.
Honolulu resident Ken Lee, a retired social worker, is among three Hawai'i Red Cross team members now in New York City.
He said the scene is chaotic."It's unbelievable over here. You can see the plume of smoke coming out from the city from about 180 miles away."
When his plane was landing, Lee said, "you could see the smoke blowing over the Statue of Liberty." He said the Red Cross had 6,000 volunteers serving more than 377,000 meals and snacks over the last few days, with 14 shelters open.
Lee is a disaster mental health worker, who specializes in air disasters. The Hawai'i chapter also sent Glenn Lockwood, disaster director for the state. He will help oversee relief efforts. Maui's Mike Sciuto, another volunteer, is serving as family services director.
In the weeks after Hurricane Iniki in 1992, a little more than $3.5 million was collected by the America Red Cross, Collado said.
Dexter Suzuki, marketing director of Ala Moana Center, said the center collected $47,000 through Sunday. New Wave Broadcasting put together a live broadcast at the Nu'uanu YMCA yesterday and helped collect money near the community center on Friday, bringing in more than $37,823.
