Tsunami aid was on the minds of members of City Council on Tuesday night and on the minds of members of the community since the disaster occurred.
“I asked the city manager to put together a list of agencies to which residents could make contributions but little did I know that members of our own community are starting their own initiatives,” said Mayor William D. Euille.
One of those local efforts is called WaveAid. It is the brain child of three neighbors who live in the Torpedo Factory condominiums in Old Town. Cameron and Hillary Wallace and Craig Fifer had dinner together on Dec. 30 and wanted to help Tsunami victims.
“This is the greatest human tragedy that we have seen in our lifetime,” Fifer said. “We wanted to do more than just write a check. We wanted to find a way for young professionals like us to get involved and really make an ongoing contribution.”
WaveAid was born. WaveAid’s symbol is a bracelet. Several members of City Council are wearing them. The bracelet is made with an aquamarine glass bead with a jeweler’s wire run through it. “The color symbolizes the water; the glass, the fragility of life and the jeweler’s wire the strength of the survivors,” Fifer said. All materials have been donated or purchased by WaveAid’s founders. The beads are courtesy of Bedazzled.
“Originally, we wanted to raise $5,000 by the end of our event on Jan. 13,” Fifer said. That goal has been exceeded already. As of Tuesday night, bracelet sales had brought in $6,500.
ON THURSDAY, Jan. 13, several restaurants will offer discounts to patrons who arrive wearing the bracelets. The bracelets can be purchased at King Street Blues.
“We really did want to find something more than just the bracelet so we asked businesses to help,” Fifer said. Of the 50 businesses that were asked, 12 said yes.
“I think that’s an amazing response and it is growing,” Fifer said.
Clark Mercer, a 1998 graduate of T. C. Williams High School, is also involved. “The tragedy is overwhelming,” he said. “Alexandria is a very caring community. I think that many more people will get behind this effort once they know more about it.”
WaveAid does not accept funds. All money that is collected goes directly to AmeriCares, with whom the group has an agreement.
“Americares is grateful for WaveAid’s creative support of our important mission,” said Elizabeth Walsh, a spokesperson for Americares. “It is efforts such as this one which are enabling us to get our medical relief supplies to the Tsunami survivors in Asia as quickly as possible.”
OTHER CITY EFFORTS will emerge. “I think we should find a way to adopt one of the villages that has been directly affected,” Euille said. “We will let everyone know more about that possibility as we look into it.”
U.S. Rep. James P. Moran (D8) is proposing another event. “I think we should do a weight loss challenge of some sort with the weigh-in to be at the Red Cross event on March 19,” he said. “We will let everyone know more about that.”
In the meantime, bracelets are available at King Street Blues or by contacting WaveAid. For a complete list of participating restaurants, the WaveAid Web site is
www.WaveAid2005.org.
“These grass roots efforts are exactly the kinds of things we can expect from the caring, concerned members of this community,” said Councilman Rob Krupicka. “I hope lots of people go out to dinner on Thursday night, wearing their bracelets.”
All contributions to Tsunami relief can be deducted as part of last year’s tax returns through Jan. 31.