Locals raise money for quake areas

A campaign to raise money to help victims of the Chinese earthquake took to the streets of Chinatown yesterday.

To donate RED CROSS Donations to help victims of the Chinese earthquake can be sent care of the American Red Cross at www.redcross.org or by phone at (800) RED-CROSS or 739-8105, or mailed to: China Earthquake Relief American Red Cross International Response Fund Hawaii State Chapter 4155 Diamond Head Road Honolulu, HI 96816 LOCAL CHINESE ORGANIZATIONS Local Chinese organizations also are collecting donations. Contributions can be sent to: Hawaii Mainland Chinese Overseas Association Sichuan Earthquake Fund Drive c/o Dr. Z. Wu 2760 Kahoaloha Lane No. 5 Honolulu, HI 96826 Make checks out to American Red Cross International Response Fund Chinese Students and Scholars Association of the University of Hawaii Earthquake Relief c/o Yuxing Yang HIG 375, 2525 Correa Road Honolulu, HI 96822

The Hawaii Mainland Chinese Overseas Association and other local Chinese groups collected donations yesterday at Kekaulike Mall and in front of the Golden Palace restaurant, and planned to be out through the weekend.

In front of a poster with photos from the disaster area and Chinese newspapers, Li Jiping, 70, who is from hard-hit Sichuan province, said her niece and nephew are living in tents in the city of Guangyuan.

Their apartment has cracks in the building, and they are not sure it is safe to return, Li said through a translator.

Li, a member of the Hawaii China Tea Club, a group of senior citizens, volunteered to help collect donations.

"I'm hoping that everybody can care about this," she said. "If people can help with this, then the people can get over these critical moments."

Organizers had collected $1,643 yesterday.

Anming Tan, vice president of the Hawaii Mainland Chinese Overseas Association, said one person donated a bag of pennies.

"These are not people who make good money," Tan said. "Some are retired. We were really moved by the people's generosity."

At the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Jian Ma of the Chinese Student and Scholar Association said students have been raising money by e-mail as they study for finals and collecting money from classmates and professors.

Ma said that in just two days, they have already collected $4,526.

"It's really amazing," he said. "I think everyone just wants to show a warm heart and really care about the victims."

Grace F.Y. Chun, who grew up in Beichuan, where a six-story classroom building collapsed, said she has not been able to sleep well because she has been scouring the Internet trying to get more information on the earthquake.

Chun is nine months pregnant with her first child and cannot leave her Aiea Heights home.

Her parents live in Mianyang but their home survived without damage.

Chun said her mother sent her an e-mail to let her know they were OK, and they have talked on the phone, but she will not give her too much information.

"She said, 'I don't want to tell you more because I don't want you to be depressed,'" Chun said.

Last year, Chun went back to China and visited the school in Beichuan, where the building collapse occurred.

She also met with some of her old teachers. Chun said she has no idea whether her teachers are still alive.

Chun said she is still in shock looking at pictures of her old school from a year ago and now.

"I can point to where I went to school, where I played. ... All of a sudden, nothing exists."

CORRECTION Friday, May 16, 2008 The niece and nephew of Li Jiping, a volunteer raising money for Chinese earthquake relief efforts, are from Guangyuan, not Mianyang. Originally, this article had incorrect information. Also, Anming Tan is vice president of the Hawaii Mainland Chinese Overseas Association. His first name was misspelled as Aming in the article.