Vancouverites unite to help typhoon victims | October 6, 2009 at Schema : more than ethnic

Vancouverites unite to help typhoon victims | October 6, 2009

The photos of victims caked in mud, having lost their homes and possibly loved ones,inspire an unspeakable grief. They evoke the very essence of hopelessness. But, despite the ravages of Typhoon Ondoy on the northern part of the Philippines -- a storm that has flooded the majority of the capital of Manila, claimed upwards of 200 lives and resulted in countless more missing -- all hope is not lost. At least not for a group of local Filipino-Canadians who are rallying to help those much, much worse off than they can even imagine. So launches a special edition of Salamat (the Filipino word for Thank You), a night usually reserved to celebrate Filipino Independence Day every June.

Please join these helping hands at a night that will feature the best of Filipino culture, even as Mother Nature threatens the homeland where it began. Some of the city's premiere DJs and performers, including Hedspin, Bles'sed, Kidd, Tropic, Relik, Pluskratch and SVS Style, will entertain while Filipino cuisine will be served, Filipino art will be showcased and the spirit of the Filipino people will be on genuine display. In addition to a minimum donation at the door of $10, a silent auction will also be held to raise funds. Non-monetary donations, such as clothing and blankets, will be collected as well. These items will be shipped to the Philippines in"Balikbayan boxes" thanks to the generous support of Manila Cargo.

Tuesday October 6th, 2009 | 6pm-Late
@ BOX STUDIOS 1622 Franklin Street, Vancouver, BC
Minimum donation: $10
Presented in part by Lorie Corcuera (Enspire Foundation) & Sammie Jo Productions.

For more information visit the Facebook Event Page.

BACKGROUND: On Sept. 26, 2009, Typhoon Ondoy brought a month's worth of rainfall to Metro Manila and nearby areas in just a few hours, causing severe flooding that resulted in the loss of many lives and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people. The organizers of Salamat will donate as close to 100 per cent of their proceeds as possible to the Enspire Foundation, an organization that, among other things, builds houses and provides educational opportunities to those less fortunate living in the Philippines. To learn more and to donate, please feel free to visit www.enspire-foundation.org.

More:
CBC.ca | Georgia Straight | CBC News will also do a live broadcast for their 11pm news evening show tomorrow, October 6, 2009 between 11PM and 11:30 PM | ABS-CBN (The Filipino Channel - Channel 186) will also attend and tape our event between 6PM and 8PM.