四川大地震之后， 我女儿在一家日报刊登地震捐款的报道

Local group collecting money for earthquake victims
People in Hampton Roads are chipping in to help the survivors of the earthquake.

By Elly Mui | Daily Press
8:51 AM EDT, May 19, 2008

One of the deadliest earthquakes ever to hit China has ignited international relief efforts, even from homes in this region.

A local Hampton Roads organization, the Peninsula Chinese American Association, hopes to provide relief through donations to either the Chinese Red Cross or the American Red Cross.

"We're trying to do our best to help," said Ji Su, president of the association, which has been influential in promoting Chinese awareness in the area.

The association, a nonprofit with several hundred members, seeks to improve Chinese culture and language education. Members work toward educating local youths in both the simplified and traditional Chinese characters through collaboration with colleges and high schools.

The Sichuan provinces of southwestern China lay in ruin following the 7.9 earthquake on Monday. So the association is raising money to assist victims.

On Thursday, the International Federation of Red Cross donated an initial $10 million to aid in relief efforts.

This contribution will support the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, including the Red Cross Society of China, through the purchase and distribution of supplies, and deployment efforts to staff the affected area.

The Chinese Embassy advises that donations be made toward either the Red Cross or the embassy.

"The Chinese government understands the good heart of overseas concerns," Fan Ewi, a spokesman at the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., said Friday. "Now all the people are making an effort in the earthquake zones, but the Chinese government wants to make sure these organizations are authorized."

However, local organizations such as the Salvation Army are providing assistance with established bases throughout China. Maj. Harvey Johnson of the Hampton Roads Salvation Army said the best thing people can do is provide monetary gifts so it can go toward particular areas.

Su says anyone can help earthquake victims. The group has raised $3,000 so far.

"No matter who, no matter how, and no matter how much," Su said, "it is all the same as long as you can help."

Note: My daughter started her internship in a U.S. newspaper agency on May 16. That is the biggest newspaper in Newport News area. Her first task was writing a article about the earthquake in China. She interviewed the personal in the embassy of China, local American Chinese association, American Red cross, and other fund raise groups. After all the interviews, she called me and told me that China refused to accept international aid, and she was upset. She said one of the interviewer told her that “because of political reason” , they couldn’t do fund raise for China. How should she write that people, that was a question.

I told her “ A journalist should be fare and objective”, I told her the reason for China not accept rescue team in the beginning., but Chinese government had announced to accept aid in money and pray, and as matter of fact, today (I meant May 16) China already let some international rescue team came in for rescuing. I told her the Chinese government had responded and handled this natural disaster in a very efficiency way. I told her to read more CNN reports about the earthquake in China

She wrote her report in a positive manner and included some moved stories in her report, but the editor deleted that part. Her report was posted on the second page of Daily Press on May 17, and my husband told me couple days ago that he found my daughter’s article was link by a Australia news group.

link to my daughter's report: http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-local_chinahelp_0517may17,0,7372284.story