Basin ending tsunami aid

MOSES LAKE — Disaster is not something planned for but responded to.

That is a truth that mother Colleen Trefz knows well as she decided to begin the "Sharing Shirts and Shorts Over Seas" as part of local relief efforts to aid tsunami victims in Southeast Asia.

While watching the news reports of the tsunami disaster, Trefz said she began to think about how she could help. "You begin to think "'what can I do?'" Trefz said.

It was then that Trefz made a phone call to Anabel Romero-Juarez, site director for the Gear Up after school program at Frontier Middle School about incorporating relief efforts in a way that would involve youth in the community. "The heart of 'SSOS' is sharing and that's the character we want our kids to have," Trefz said.

This is a project that is tangible and can be done in any school district for any length of period that people want to be involved Juarez said. "The people of Southeast Asia will need this help for many years to come."

Juarez said at FMS the idea is to have a few students come after school as part of the Gear Up program to participate in packing the shirts and shorts that are donated. This is one activity that can promote life long learning skills for youth and "we want Gear Up to play a big part to make sure every kid is ready for college," Juarez said.

"This is good to help schools so we can help other kids who might not have a lot," said FMS student Branden Moreno.

Bringing this message to other schools and communities is one goal of the project and Trefz said she is planning a trip to Florida at the end of January as well as other states throughout the nation to speak to other schools about "SSOS."

"Once we start hopefully it will snowball and other kids will want to participate," Trefz said. "This gives our kids a sense of accomplishment."

Pointing to a quote on the wall in Juarez' office by Harvey Mackay, Trefz reads: "A dream is just a dream. A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline."

"We have a dream, we have a plan and we have a deadline," Trefz said.

Students can begin bringing shorts or T-shirts to their schools for donation beginning Jan. 10. Donations should be gently used and in good condition, with appropriate pictures and language. The donations will then be sent out for distribution to Tsunami victims at the end of January.

Sidebar: Tsunami relief efforts around the Basin

Breakout: See www.applevalleyredcross.org for a list of organizations accepting donations for tsunami relief

COLUMBIA BASIN — Mary Jordan, executive director for the Apple Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross in Wenatchee, said $6,000 in donations have been received and expects that number to increase in the next few days, although Jordan said she has some concerns about donations coming in.

"Donations to international relief efforts seem to have taken a precedence over donations to local charities and especially since the September 11 attacks," Jordan said. Jordan clarified that while victims of the tsunami disaster are in dire need of aid, communities must remember that there remains a need to help local organizations as well.

Jordan said another concern is donors designating where they want the money to go.

For instance, checks that are written for earthquake relief may not go to victims of the tsunami. Currently there are no volunteers from the Apple Valley chapter who have been sent to Southeast Asia.

Wal-Mart in Moses Lake is also accepting tsunami relief donations.

So far the donations have been steady said Jeremy Rauser, store manager at the Moses Lake Wal-Mart.