Help Japan on March 27

By David F. Rooney

Revelstokians are reacting to the inter-linked disasters in Japan with their characteristic generosity.

Ad hoc fund-raising on Thursday garnered more than $916 and the Revelstoke Museum will be donating an additional $125 to a Revelstoke Credit Union account set by Tomo Fujimura and Alice Weber.

And now there will be a major fund-raising event organized for next Sunday by Fujimura and Kawakubo owners Shinji Kawakubo and Keith Stevenson.

Beginning at 5 pm on March 27 at the Community Centre, attendees will enjoy a Japanese buffet-style dinner, pore over the offerings in a silent auction and raffle, enjoy live music and a special slide show.

Stevenson said “100% of donations will go directly to the Canadian Red Cross.”

Tickets will cost $35 and will be available at Kawakubo, Pharmasave, Powder Springs Inn, Coopers and the Community Centre.

There will be a cash bar and there will be a supervised Kids’ Corner where children will learn how to make Origami and colour Japanese images.

Revelstoke and Japan have long had an intimate relationship. Japanese workers helped build the CPR main line back in the 1880s and were the majority of victims in the 1910 Avalanche in Rogers Pass.

Our community’s home-spun efforts to commemorate them last year deeply touched the descendents of the dead workers who attended the two ceremonies held here and, of course, Japanese tourists do come here to appreciate the beauty of our natural environment.

We pride ourselves on being compassionate and progressive. Let’s show how true that is on March 27.