From pennies to matching funds: Helping tsunami victims

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE - After absorbing two days of news coverage on the devastation caused by the Indian Ocean tsunami, Jakki Perry-Wells sought change.

The single mother and city employee recalled scrapping together spare change to purchase lunch and how she could do the same for those affected by the deadly waves in Asia.

Like the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, people thousands of miles from the disaster areas are doing what they can to pad the relief efforts by the world community to Asia.

Perry-Wells said she wanted to do something more, something different, for the tsunami victims.

Her campaign, "Pennies from Heaven," will collect change at school sites throughout the Lake Tahoe Unified School District.

Red tape in establishing a fund-raiser in the schools has been a hurdle. Bank of America helped to arrange an account, but collection receptacles are not yet in the schools, she said.

Money collected by the campaign will be sent on a weekly basis to the Red Cross. Perry-Wells said even her 10-year-old son pitched in to provide change.

Collection boxes of a similar sort have been distributed to various South Lake Tahoe businesses. The South Lake Tahoe Moose Lodge is heading the effort, dubbed the "Tsunami Survivor Relief Fund."

Member Rus Wilson is in charge of the fund. Boxes will be located at KOWL and KTHO radio station offices, Lira's Supermarket, Steamers Bar and Grill, The Brothers Place, South Y Fireplace, the Tahoe Daily Tribune and the Moose Lodge.

Proceeds will go to agencies other than the Red Cross, such as Relief International and Mercy-USA for Aid and Development.

Wilson hopes more businesses will get involved to host a collection box.

Anyone wishing to have collection boxes for the "Tsunami Survivor Relief Fund" can contact Wilson at (530) 541-1632.

Contact reporter William Ferchland at wferchland@tahoedailytribune.com.

AAA members can have donations matched

AAA of Nevada, Utah and Northern California will match employee and member donations up to a total $250,000 to the American Red Cross International Response Fund to provide emergency aid to tsunami victims.

AAA members who wish to have their contributions matched can donate by credit card online at www.csaa.com or take checks made out to the American Red Cross to any AAA office.