Fundraising for Typhoon Haiyan - Andover

SEA Club members selling bracelets and pens in the dining hall for typhoon relief victims

Hey everyone,

Front page of Friday, November 15 edition of the Eagle-Tribune with
Alex Westfall (left) and Sierra Jamir (right)

After last week's unbelievable disaster that took over Leyte, Samar and other islands in the Philippines, many groups have been trying to help those affected and displaced by typhoon Haiyan. 

This week, with the help of my Southeast Asian Club, we were able to sell Filipino bracelets for $3 (thank you to my aunt for donating the bracelets) and Southeast Asian Club pens for $1 during lunch and dinner with all proceeds benefiting the victims of the typhoon. Yes, this was ultimate week, meaning it was the week right before finals, yet we pushed ourselves to sit at the table for hours on end, informing the community of our cause and collecting donation for the Philippines. By Friday, we had sold out. No more custom-made flashlight and calendar pens with SEA Club written on them. No more Filipino bracelets left. By the afternoon, we had earning an astounding $650 and numerous complements from the community for taking the initiative to do this. The Eagle-Tribune put my friend, Alex Westfall, and me on the front cover, which was something so unexpected for our relatively small, local efforts! Honestly, I didn't expect this to happen at all because we are just one of the many organizations trying to help.

To read the full article in the Eagle-Tribune, click the link below: http://www.eagletribune.com/local/x429851055/Locals-collect-funds-to-help-Haiyan-survivors

While I may not be directly affected by the typhoon, I am, nonetheless, affected. This tragedy has definitely directed all attention towards the Philippines, and while it's depressing, the work that many people and organizations have been doing to help shows that good can come out of this. While the people of Leyte and other islands in the Philippines may take years to recover physically and mentally, they will, as all Filipinos do, be resilient. With a touch of pag-asa - hope - and bayanihan - spirit - they will recover.  

Thank you to those who have donated and will continue to watch the Philippines recover.

Thank you to those who have volunteered their time and effort to help those in need. 

Thank you Tita Myra, Tita Elsa, and Tita Rose for teaching me pag-asa and bayanihan.

On behalf of the Filipino-American community, thank you very much.

Sierra Jamir