Hawaii aid for tsunami
victims still pouring in

A group of neighborhood children dropped off $500 at the American Red Cross for Asian tsunami victims from a recent garage sale. Two children donated all of their Christmas money.

Yesterday, members of two Chinese organizations dropped by the Red Cross building on Diamond Head Road to donate a total of more than $35,000. The Teo Chew Association donated more than $25,000, and the Lung Doo Benevolent Society gave about $10,000.

The flow of isle residents and organizations continues to make donations to tsunami victims, according to an official.

"We've been processing like a thousand dollars in donations a day," said Coralie Chun Matayoshi, chief executive officer of the American Red Cross Hawaii State Chapter.

So far, about $700,000 in mail donations alone have been sent to the American Red Cross to help tsunami victims, said Matayoshi.

Mike Chan, president of the Teo Chew Association, said the group originally raised the money for its annual banquet to promote Chinese culture to younger generations. But the association will downscale the annual banquet it has held for the past 18 years.

This is more important, said Chan. "We feel good about it."

The Teo Chew Association's donation was one of the most substantial donations the Hawaii chapter of the American Red Cross had received, officials said.

Chef Chai Chaowasaree held a sold-out fund-raiser at the Aloha Tower Marketplace earlier this week that raised about $200,000 for the tsunami relief fund.

Individuals, organizations and businesses are also getting involved to raise money, said Matayoshi.

Meanwhile, multistate agencies, organizations and hospitals statewide have collaborated to collect medicine and medical supplies.

On Monday, Aloha Airlines flew hundreds of pounds of medicine and medical supplies to Honolulu donated by hospitals on Maui, Kauai and the Big Island. The supplies were packed and shipped out yesterday morning on the hospital ship, the USNS Mercy.

Along with the hospitals and Aloha, the Department of Health, Healthcare Association of Hawaii, Hawaii Medical Association, Hawaii Health Systems Corp., Department of Defense and state Civil Defense teamed up to collect medical supplies.

Also, a number of Hawaii doctors have stepped forward to become part of an emergency medical group should disaster response officials request their help.

Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona is expected to meet with consuls general of the affected nations next week to determine what the state can do to provide further assistance.