Think You’re Having a Bad Day?

[Rob Tucker]

This is reprinted without permission (yet) from:
http://thehui.wordpress.com/


Think You’re Having a Bad Day?
October 2, 2009 by keikiokaaina

Dear Friends,

The Samoan people are an important part of Hawaii’s multicultural tapestry, and most of us here have close friends or family who are Samoan.

The devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck Samoa, has left over a hundred people dead and thousands more homeless.

Samoa’s recovery from this disaster will be long and difficult, but we in Hawaii can help bring needed relief now.

Please join me and my wife Jaime in contributing to the relief effort today.

The Samoan people truly need our help.

Donations may be sent to:

American Red Cross – American Samoa
P.O. Box 2635
Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799

American Red Cross – Disaster Relief Fund
Hawaii State Chapter
4155 Diamond Head Road
Honolulu, HI 96816

or call 1-800-REDCROSS and donate either to their national or international relief fund.

Sincerely,
Josh Green M.D.
State Senate
District 3, West Hawaii

[Frankie Stapleton]

Yes, people, please help however you can. But I want to add, due to comments from some Samoans in our Hilo ohana, that apparently some of the worst damage is in Western Samoa, which does not have the govt wealth and resources of their American Samoa cousins. So please give to them through the International Red Cross. Thanx so much!

Here's a paragraph from Star-Bull article today: "The death toll from Tuesday's earthquake and tsunami rose to 169 as searchers found more bodies in (Western) Samoa, where 129 were confirmed dead, police commissioner Lilo Maiava told The Associated Press. Another 31 were killed in the U.S. territory of American Samoa and nine in Tonga."

[missydog1]

I've been thinking about and following little else since it began.
This topic from the Samoa (formerly Western Samoa) forum on tripadvisor, has been full of excellent news and very personal stories since the tsunami.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g29...Samoa.html
The regulars on the forum are on island, have family there, and are in the thick of it.

The whole forum is flooded with topics on how to help out.
The New Zealand branch of the Red Cross has a specific fund for (Western) Samoa. As far as I can tell, the American Red Cross disaster relief is a general fund for currently declared disasters, but if I am wrong, please set me straight.
This is the direct link to the donation page.
http://www.redcross.org.nz/donate

New Zealand has the closest ties to Samoa of any outside government, and many expat Samoans are in New Zealand, so they are very involved in the relief effort (as is Australia).