Posted on: Saturday, January 1, 2005

Local relief efforts

Advertiser Staff

EAST-WEST CENTER TSUNAMI RELIEF FUND

Drop off donations at any First Hawaiian Bank branch or at the East-West Center reception desk, 1601 East West Road.

Secretary of State Colin Powell has praised the East-West Center Tsunami Relief Fund.

In a letter dated Tuesday to East-West Center President Charles Morrison, Powell said many of the participants in East-West Center programs are from the countries and communities hardest hit by the tsunami.

"I also want to join in spirit with the many members of the Honolulu community who are with you today to show their support and solidarity in this effort," Powell wrote.

Powell expressed U.S. government condolences for the victims and pledged government support for relief, disease prevention and rebuilding efforts as well as finding methods to broadcast early warnings to lessen the toll from future tsunamis.

"However, governments alone cannot do the job," Powell wrote, "and so I applaud you and all those other volunteers and contributors who are doing so much to bring help to the victims."

AMERICAN RED CROSS, HAWAI'I CHAPTER

Mail checks, payable to American Red Cross International Response Fund, to 4155 Diamond Head Road, Honolulu, HI 96816. Write "South Asia earthquake/tsunami" in the memo area.

People can make credit card donations by calling the Red Cross on O'ahu at 734-2101 or the national Red Cross at (800) Help-Now (435-7669).

FUND-RAISER AT ALOHA TOWER WITH TOP CHEFS

Top island chefs and award-winning entertainers will be featured at a fund-raiser for south Asia tsunami victims at Aloha Tower Marketplace on Jan. 10.

The event starts at 5:30 p.m. and costs $60 per person, with all proceeds going to the Hawai'i chapter of the American Red Cross.

Participating restaurants include Chai's Island Bistro, Alan Wong's, Roy's Restaurant, Diamond Head Grill, The Bistro at Century Center, Hy's Steak House, Mariposa, Le Bistro, Keo's Singha Thai Cuisine, Donato's, Side Street Inn, Sansei Restaurant, and many others.

Starting at 6 p.m., scheduled entertainers will include Henry Kapono, The Brothers Cazimero, Olomana's Jerry Santos and others.

For more information, please call Michael Harris at 381-8483 or Chai Chaowasaree at 585-0011.

EAST-WEST CENTER FUND-RAISER

The East-West Center and its international staff and students are organizing Asian performances from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Jefferson Hall on the University of Hawai'i-Manoa campus to raise money for tsunami victims. Attendees will be asked to make a monetary donation of their choice. Performers include West Sumatra artists Saparman Bin Jamaludon and Mohamad Halim, the Kenny Endo ensemble, Turkish musician Latif Bolat, the Hawai'i Gamelan Society and many others. The event will will conclude with a "Global Friendship Circle" at 5:30 p.m., and a moment of silence. For further information, call 944-7111.

FUND-RAISER AT PIPELINE CAFE

Live bands will play at a fund-raiser at Pipeline Cafe from 4 to 11 p.m. Jan. 9. Proceeds will go to the East-West Center Tsunami Relief Fund.

Call 944-7111 for information.

SRI LANKA RELIEF DRIVE

Donations of nonperishable food and supplies may be dropped off at the warehouse of the Oceanit engineering company, 810 Pohukaina St., from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Checks payable to "Windward Rotary-Sri Lanka Tsunami Fund" may be dropped off at any Bank of Hawaii branch or mailed to Rotary Club of Windward O'ahu, PO Box 122, Kailua, HI 96734

Information: 732-0878

WHALE-WATCHING FUND-RAISER

North Shore Catamaran Charters will be hosting a sunset whale-watch cruise out of Hale'iwa Harbor at 3:30 p.m. Jan. 14, with all proceeds benefiting tsunami victims.

A minimum $25 donation is required, but a larger donation is welcome. The regular kama'aina rate for the cruise is $50.

Seats are limited. For reservations, call Capt. Ray Beatty at 638-8279.

SOUTH ASIA KEIKI ALOHA FUND-DRIVE

Preschools across the state have raised $20,000 to benefit the UNICEF children's tsunami relief in South Asia.

To donate, mail or drop off checks for the Southeast Asia Keiki Aloha, c/o The Cole Academy, 36 Merchant St., Honolulu, HI 96813. Checks must be made out to U.S. Fund for UNICEF. Please write South Asia Keiki Aloha Fund in the memo line on the check.

Call 531-4500 for more information.

DONATION WARNING

The Better Business Bureau has issued a warning to beware of fake tsunami "charities" run by con artists trying to cash in on the disaster.

Many scammers resort to Internet appeals and phone solicitations.

While true relief organizations give full information about the group's finances and programs and will outline where exactly the donations will go, the fake groups will be more vague in details

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

• Ask questions of the charity, and check www.guidestar.org for information provided by certain charities to the IRS..

For detailed reports on charitable organizations or for assistance with charitable giving, visit www.hawaii.bbb.org/.