Richard, on this board, we don't need GHWBush and Bill Clinton. You are doing very well! Yes, I agree we all should give if that is our personal choice. I have done so, and plan to do again as events unfold. I have also encouraged my somewhat-grown children to do so. They reap the bounty from this area not from tourism, but from fishermen, and not just in Thailand, but from Indonesia and India, areas even harder hit. Important in those areas to get people back on their feet with boats, etc. so the survivors can start to make a living again. All those relief agencies know how best to spend the dollars we contribute.

I have to report how proud I am of my company today. Amgen, Inc. just announced that 1) they are donating $1 million to the relief effort, and 2) they will match 100% all employee donations!

LeeAnne:

Your company, Amgen, is displaying great corporate responsibility in this donation, and matching donations. Thank you for reporting this. It is good to hear of a corporation doing some good for mankind these days, and I hope you can find a way to convey to your management what a great thing they are doing.

jhp:

Thanks for your kind words. Actually, we are not ordinarily much in the way of philanthropists. But the magnatude of this disaster has truly touched us, as I hope it does with many. With the confusion in the area, and the known death toll standing at 155,000, few doubt that it will end at less than 250,000. One hundred times greater than Pearl Harbor. Seventy two times greater than 9/11. and 1,480 times greater than the Okla. City bombing. And, this has happened in countries without the internal economic infrastructure to provide the needed help.

joannapv:

I admire your chruch for raising $20,000 for this cause! As you mention your priest, I assume your church is Roman Catholic (though it could be Episcopalian or Orthodox). In any event, Catholic Charities has been mentioned by a number of sources (not church related) as a good place to donate for relief in this area. And, there are a number of other good charities as well. Regardless of whatever faith you church is, God bless it and its members.

Thanks,
Richard

PS: I don't know how to get rid of my "tag line" for these more serious posts. So just read it as meaning that there is an end to these problems somewhere.

LeeAnne,

Amgen is one of the most generous companies in our community as well. You have a lot to be proud of. I am proud to live in their neighborhood - they are good neighbors (Actually we have three Amgen employees on our 20 house street which has a total of 25 residents)

Our company is also donating money to the disaster relief - Kaiser Permanente national announced yesterday that they are donating $1 million as well - divided into $250,000 to the American Red Cross, $500,000 to Doctors Without Borders, and $250,000 to Operation USA. The bulk of the donation is going to Doctors Without Borders because it matches the health care delivery that Kaiser itself seeks to promote.

Masaki

Great for Kiaser Permanete!

Thanks,
Richard :) :) :)

Received this in an e-mail from the Phoenix City Manager's office today

"Mayor Gordon and Vice Mayor Bilsten today launched a unique program to assist with the relief efforts after the devastating tsunami. Working with the Phoenix-based nonprofit organization Food for the Hungry, they urged Phoenicians to join them in "adopting" a small village called Meulaboh (pronounced May-u-la-bo).

Meulaboh, located in Sumatra, is only 93 miles from the epicenter of the earthquake and was one of the areas hardest hit. About 40,000 of the 120,000 residents were killed, and reports are that buildings were completely destroyed and fishing boats were washed inland more than a mile.

Vice Mayor Bilsten and experts from Food for the Hungry will travel to Meulaboh next week to get a first-hand look at the area. If you would like to join the Mayor's and Vice Mayor's effort, you can visit www.fh.org, mail a check to Food for the Hungry at 1224 E. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85034..."