From the waves of the tsunami in South Asia came a flood closer to home - a fundraiser for the victims called From the Heart of Sea to Sky: the Waves of Compassion Fundraiser.
"This fundraising event did, indeed, begin with a small idea but now it belongs to the community," said Joanna Schwarz, one of the organizers and president of the Howe Sound Performing Arts Association.
She initially considered releasing a single CD with her song Love Needs No Language with proceeds going towards relief.
"It talks about our commonalities as people," Schwarz said.
Her friend Carol Grolman expanded the idea by suggesting a benefit concert, and was inspired to write another song, called Give From The Heart.
Schwarz went to the Rotary Club of 樱桃视频and president Sheri Davis endorsed the idea.The reaction has been very positive, Schwarz said.
"There are people from outside the community saying they want to be a part of it."
Children's choirs, youth performers, professional artists and others are lined up to perform Jan. 15 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Brennan Park Recreation Centre.
Schwarz went before District council Tuesday asking for endorsement of the idea, which she was given. She also asked that District fees for rentals be waived and council indicated that it could happen when exact monetary figures were available.
The money raised can go towards either immediate relief through a legitimate agency or towards Coun. Jeff Dawson's Adopt a Village long-term aid plan.
The benefit concert is in the process of being organized and information is changing all the time. For updates see www.howesoundarts.org or www.squamishrotary.com.
Local people started taking action well before the meeting on Wednesday. Members of the Sikh community raised $5,000 on Jan. 1 by announcing that the regulation collection and any additional donations at the temple that day would be donated to tsunami relief.
Shamsher Kang, a volunteer with the 樱桃视频Sikh Society, said the Sikh Society is going to continue collecting money until Sunday and all the funds raised will be included with Dawson's adopt-a-village initiative.
"It is the Tenth Guru's birthday Jan. 5," said Kang and he expects the Temple will be busy through to Sunday (Jan. 9) as Holy Scripture reading takes place.
Anybody wishing to donate through the temple can contact the Sikh Society by calling 604-815-3183.
Dawson said he received a call from a six-year-old Brackendale girl who heard about the adopt-a-village concept and had a hot chocolate sale to raise money. She left what Dawson described as a very business-like message indicating that she raised $59 and she wanted to get the money to him for his initiative as soon as possible.
Jake Carney and Marlee Heward, both 10-year-olds, teamed up with Kyler Adams, 11, to put on a bottle drive around the Garibaldi Highlands on Jan. 2. The trio pitched in some of the own money and combined it with the proceeds of the bottle drive and put together a fund of $312 that was donated to the Red Cross for its tsunami relief effort.
