University of Wisconsin-Superior graduate student Kym Young is leading a community effort to provide relief to victims of the devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
"Humanity should be a cause for everybody," she said. "When your neighbors are in need, you help your neighbors. Japan is our neighbor."
Young, who is studying art history, started the group Students and Community for Earthquake/Tsunami Relief. With the help of the Northland Chapter of the American Red Cross, she hopes the relief efforts will grow beyond the UWS campus and into the Twin Ports community.
The group's efforts are primarily focused on raising money to be sent to the American Red Cross for earthquake relief. Group members plan to place donation cans in local businesses to collect money.
Another fundraising idea includes folding and selling paper origami cranes. The cranes will not only raise money, but also have symbolic meaning in Japanese culture.
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"In Japan, if we complete 1,000 cranes, their wish will come true," Japan native and social work major Ai Ozawa said. Ozawa is from an area about an hour away from Tokyo called the Saitama Prefecture. Her family was unharmed from the earthquake, but Ozawa says she is happy to see UWS students and community members support her home country.
"I'm very appreciative," Ozawa said.
Likewise, Young is glad to show support Japanese students studying at UWS.
"It shows this isn't just an institution of higher learning," Young said. "This is a family. We are a UW-Superior family. It shows that we don't think they are just foreigners in a strange land."
Young encourages those who want to make a monetary gift to do so through the American Red Cross. This can be done by texting the word "REDCROSS" to 90999. Each text message is a $10 donation to the organization and will be added to the sender's next cell phone bill.
In addition, donations can be made on the Red Cross website at https://american.redcross.org/site/Donation2?idb=0&5052.donation=form1&d...
For updates on the group, visit the Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=200504473301033 .
Those who want to get involved or have questions about the group can contact Young by e=mailing kyoung5@uwsuper.edu .
