KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
It’s been almost two weeks since super typhoon Haiyan (HY-ahn) ravaged the Philippines. Here in Kodiak, relief efforts quickly kicked into gear and various community groups took to fundraising for family and friends left amid the devastation overseas. Kodiak has raised almost $8,000 in the past two weeks, with more support rolling in each day.
Hannahgrace Lucas is the worship and youth group leader at the Kdoiak Filipino Bible Church. Last Sunday the church hosted a giant fundraiser, bringing in almost $5,600 to put toward relief efforts in the Philippines. She said they sold donated garage sale items, baked goods, and even held auctions for certain items. Lucas said the group also collected monetary donations.
“Plus a big box of canned goods and boxes of clothes to be sent to the Philippines.”
Lucas said the $5,600 total was last updated on Tuesday, and doesn’t include donations made to collection boxes that have been dropped off at various locations around town. She said they have plans to do more fundraising, thanks to the success of last week’s event.
“We will be doing another garage sale and bake sale on Saturday. Saturday, November 23 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Kodiak Filipino Bible Church due to overwhelming donations we’ve been receiving. So we will do another one and that may be the last one we’ll be doing. But we’re still accepting money donations, household items to be sold for garage sale and baked goods for a bake sale.”
She said people can drop off any of those items, or canned goods and new clothes at the church, located on Selief Lane, anytime this week.
Other local fundraising events included a Zumba fitness class last Saturday. More than 24 people packed the Main Elementary School gym and donated a collective $750, all of which will go toward helping victims of Haiyan (HY-ahn).
Two bank accounts were set up at Wells Fargo. Mary Guilas-Hawver is the president of the Filipino American Assocation of Kodiak and said the account set up by Fil-Am has about $830. The other bank account, set up by other Filipino community members has roughly $570.
Last week’s egg roll fundraiser was a huge success, but the dollar amount of that fundraiser is not known yet.
