The Indian Ocean may seem a world away from Illinois, but the tsunami that struck Dec. 26 left more than 150,000 dead and impacted many residents of the Champaign-Urbana area.

Sri Lankans living in the Champaign-Urbana area lost family members and close friends, said Indu Rupassara, graduate student and president of the Sri Lankan Society at the University. Former students at the University who have since moved back to Sri Lanka have also lost family members and friends, she said.

To help those who lost loved ones and everything they own, the Sri Lankan Society and Sri Lankan Association have been holding various fund-raisers throughout the community. During winter break they collected nearly $600 in three days outside of local Wal-Marts.

Rupassara considered the events a success. She said group members worked in shifts because of the cold temperatures.

“All Sri Lankans in the community supported the work,” she said. “I also want to thank all the people in the community and thank Wal-Mart.”

Wal-Mart was the only store that allowed them to collect money, Rupassara said. Other stores in the area that the Sri Lankan Society approached had policies against groups fund-raising in front of the store, she said. Rupassara declined to name those that turned them away.

Group members also sold hot chocolate and baked goods at the University this week and plan to do so again on Jan. 26 and 28, she said. She added that they also plan to host a Sri Lankan dinner on Jan. 29 and are accepting personal donations.

“We are all students and are very busy,” Rupassara said. “Even though we are willing to (give time to fund-raisers), personal donations are helpful.”

Rupassara said the money they are raising is going to two refugee camps and to children for school supplies.

“People have lost everything,” she said. “They have nothing for schools.”

The University has also started a Web site that features links to relief groups and a place for University faculty, employees and students to post information on how the tsunami has affected them.

Allison Walter, interim director of international engagement and protocol for International Programs and Studies, set up and maintains the Web site at http://www.ips.uiuc.edu/io/tsunami. The Web site provides a way for people to get involved at the University, she said.

The University Alumni Association, public relations and Walter decided the Web site would be a good way to help, Walter said. She said the outside support is necessary because the University is not allowed to raise money for any particular cause.

Nicole Lamers, graduate student, posted a message informing visitors that she is collecting money for small fishing communities in Sri Lanka. She could not be reached for comment.

In addition to the links to aid groups, the message board is a way for people to see the impact the tsunami had in Illinois, Walter said.

“I would love it if more people would come to the Web site and give their personal experiences,” Walter said.

The Indian Student Association (ISA) is also collecting money for tsunami victims. They are working with students from the University of California-Berkley and Drexel University to sell Livestrong bracelets, rubber bracelets that were originally sold to support cancer research and have since been used to support a variety of causes, said Supreet Kahlon, public relations chair of ISA.

The groups at the three universities are buying a bulk amount of bracelets at a discount, with each school receiving 1,600. Kahlon said the organization is keeping 1,000, which will be sold at the Illini Union in February, and sending the rest to other Midwestern universities to sell. The profits will be sent to UNICEF, she said.