Fundraisers to be held for victims of Cyclone Winston in Fiji
NEW ZEALAND HERALD VIA AP
Sanjogeeta Kiran, right, with her sister Sulva Kiran, second left, and her children Shivendera, left, and Raajeen, sit amid the debris of their home in RakiRaki, Fiji on Feb. 24 after cyclone Winston ripped through the island nation.
NEW ZEALAND HERALD VIA AP
Two boys sit under a bus shelter that is supporting a fallen tree in the village of Talecake, Fiji on Feb. 24 after cyclone Winston ripped through the island nation.
NEW ZEALAND DEFENSE FORCE VIA AP
In this Feb. 21 aerial photo supplied by the New Zealand Defense Force, debris is scattered around damaged buildings at Nakama settlement in Fiji, after Cyclone Winston tore through the island nation.
Fundraisers will be held in Laie on Saturday and Monday to assist victims in Fiji impacted by Cyclone Winston.
A fundraiser is set to held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Temple View Apartments, Apt. S120, 55-550 Naniloa Loop, Brigham Young University-Hawaii. Fijian curry plates will be available at $10 a plate.
T-shirts will also be sold at $10 each throughout campus Monday.
Cyclone Winston, a category 5 storm, slammed Fiji in February that killed at least 43 people and destroyed many homes and crops.
Organizer Kali Volavola, cultural ambassador for Fiji at the Polynesian Cultural Center, said some of his extended family members were impacted by the storm after the powerful cyclone damaged their home in Lautoka.
Since the cyclone hit, the Fijian community in Laie have been collecting canned meats and clothing to ship to Fiji.
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Organizer Taufa Whippy said, “The communities, mostly in the severely affected areas of Koro, Taveuni, Rakiraki, Savusavu, Tavua, Vatukoula, Ba, the Yasawas and Lau group will be totally reliant on external assistance over the next few months.”
A GoFundMe page, “Help Cyclone Winston victims,” has been created to raise money to go toward shipping costs to send the donated food, clothing and supplies to Fiji. Organizers hope to raise $7,000. So far, they have collected $510.
“To many of us living away from our island home, this is the only way we can help our people rebuild from this catastrophic cyclone,” said Whippy on the GoFundMe page.
The Fiji National Disaster Management Office will distribute the donated items to affected residents.
Those interested in making a donation to assist with shipping costs may visit bit.ly/21nyKZf.
