CALGARY – Nearly three weeks since the first earthquake hit Nepal, aftershocks continue to rattle that country.
A second quake earlier this week has claimed more than 100 lives, adding to the already staggering body count.
Fundraising efforts here at home, are intensifying.
At one event on Saturday at Inglewood Community Hall, the goal was to raise $7000 in one afternoon.
Music filled the hall where people danced, ate and shopped.
“For someone who was born in Asia like myself, with monsoons and typhoons, we understand disasters have an immediate effect but also has a very chronic long term affect as well,” Cory Vo, an organizer said.
This is just one of many fundraisers in Calgary to help the men, women and children affected by Nepal’s deadly earthquakes.
So far, the Calgary Nepalese Community Association has raised more than $25,000.
Get daily National news
“Over 300,000 houses have been completely destroyed. The impact of the earthquake in Nepal is reaching out to over 8 million people,” Dibya Pradhan, an organizer said.
In Nepal, volunteers are on the ground just a matter days after a second powerful earthquake hit that claimed more than 100.
The first quake, which struck last month, killed more than 8000 people.
“What we need is support for rebuilding and reconstruction. There are people that are still waiting for a tarp and things like that. They don’t have a shelter almost after three weeks,”Pradhan said.
Right now, the federal government is matching donations dollar for dollar but that will end may 25th.
For many at the fundraiser, it’s about doing the right thing and helping those in need.
“It’s not as hard here as it is in many places and we should do our best to contribute to any efforts that we can,” Leif Olson, a musician at the event said.
‘We had our own big event the YYC floods that were just a couple of years ago. So it really brings it home to us you know when we need help people helped us and when other people need help we need to help them,” Sora Hunt.
The hope is that people’s generosity continues and spreads as millions try to piece their lives back together.
The Calgary Nepalese Community Association is holding its next fundraiser on Friday May 22nd.
Comments