Group raises money for tsunami victims

By Mary Johnson

Community residents have the opportunity to help out tsunami victims and sample Sri Lankan cuisine at the Sri Lankan Fund-Raiser Dinner April 10 at the Wesley Foundation, 1203 W. Green St., from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The organization is hosting the event to send money to Sri Lankan residents who lost their homes to the December 2004 tsunami. Dinner will cost $10 for adults and $5 for children, with all the money going to tsunami victims.

Maitri Warusawithana, vice president of the Sri Lankan Society, said the group has raised about $5,000 this year with bake sales, dinners and other fund raisers.

“We have been working with groups to get students and families back to a regular life – back to normalcy,” he said.

Warusawithana said the group has already sent money to help students buy school supplies and uniforms.

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“We are working with University alums and others that have volunteered to go (to Sri Lanka), so there are no overhead expenses. Every dollar goes to Sri Lanka,” Warusawithana said.

He said donations have slowed since the beginning of the relief efforts, but the country is still torn apart.

“When people do realize (aid is needed), they are not reluctant to give – even the students. It’s really heartwarming.”

For more information, go to www.uiuc.edu/ro/slsociety.