Students organize relief drives

In the aftermath of devastating earthquakes that hit the western part of India on Jan. 26 and El Salvador on Jan. 13, student groups have set up relief funds to aid the countries, especially through the Red Cross.

In the state of Gujarat in India, the death toll has reached 20,000 and is still rising. Countless more people have been left seriously injured and homeless. The Indian Student Association, Hindu Students Council, and SPICMACAY are raising money to send to the Red Cross and C.A.R.E. Students set up tables at various locations on Grounds this past week to give out information and generate support. See www.student.virginia.edu/~hindu to find out how to make a donation or contact Sulove Bothra at sulove@virginia.edu or 243-2035, or Nimisha Sadhu at nimisha@virginia.edu or 982-6341.

Another group of students has launched an aid campaign to help the victims of the earthquake in El Salvador. U.Va. Nursing Students Without Borders, a group that has made several trips to El Salvador for health outreach, was in the country and close by when the earthquake hit. They stayed to help until it was possible to leave.

Donations may be made to "El Salvador Earthquake Aid" at the University of Virginia Fund; send to Bonnie Ford, U.Va. Fund, Alumni Hall, P. O. Box 3447, Charlottesville 22903. Funds will be forwarded to the Central Virginia Chapter of the American Red Cross for transfer to the Red Cross in El Salvador.

For information, visit the Web site at www.virginia.edu/deanofstudents/decano-salvador.html or contact students Camila Figueroa at 296-4497 or cmf@virginia.edu, Federico Avila at 972-9758 or Federico@virginia.edu, or Raquel Orellana at 243-0090 or mro@virginia.edu. Pablo Davis, an assistant dean working with the students, can be reached at 982-2683 or pjd5h@virginia.edu.