According to Chinese tradition, Zhongqiujie, the mid-autumn moon festival in September, is marked by moon gazing, fireworks and moon cakes. It is a celebration of family and togetherness, as relatives and friends gather to spend the night looking up at the full moon. The tragic earthquake that struck Taiwan just a few days before this year's festival tore apart many families, whose feelings of togetherness are now forever altered.
Hitting 7.6 on the Richter scale, the earthquake has claimed more than 2,000 lives, with the toll still rising, as bodies trapped under the debris are uncovered by rescue workers. Devastating aftershocks continued to slow rescue efforts, killing many people spared by the first blow.
The shock also was felt at Cornell by many Taiwanese students and faculty members. Fuan Tsai, a graduate student in civil and environmental engineering, first heard about the earthquake through a friend and then turned to the Internet for more details.
"I got updates from phone conversations with my family and news web sites," Tsai said. "As far as I know, the rescue is not going well," he added this past weekend, explaining that the roads leading to the most affected areas were destroyed by the earthquake and the frequent aftershocks.
Like many others, Fuan has done what he can to aid efforts to help the victims. "I don't know about others, but I have sent money to a charity in Taiwan," he said.
Others have gotten involved as well. Yung-Fu Chang, an associate professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, learned about the earthquake through his students.
"I rushed home to call my sister in Taichung," he said. "After that, I couldn't reach anyone by phone."
As the adviser for both the Cornell Taiwanese Student Association (CTSA) and the Cornell Taiwanese American Society (CTAS), Chang is involved in running the Taiwan Earthquake Relief Fund, a project made possible by the combined efforts of both groups.
CTSA, a group comprised mostly of graduate students, raised $3,499, which was sent on Tuesday to Tzu Chi, the Buddhist Compassion Relief foundation in Taiwan, and to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in Washington, D.C.
"This week we will focus on joint efforts," said Oscar Huang, a second-year graduate student in ILR and the president of CTSA. He was referring to awareness programs that are taking place every day this week in Noyes Community Center, Robert Purcell Community Center, Willard Straight Hall and Trillium.
Members of both groups set up tables in these community centers with banners, posters and fliers illustrating the seriousness of the situation in Taiwan and asking for donations.
Hugo Lin, the president of CTAS, an undergraduate organization, said some of the money raised this week is being sent directly to the Red Cross in Taiwan, while the rest is being used to purchase tents, sleeping bags and other supplies for the victims of the earthquake.
"They are camping out in parks," Hugo explained.
On Sept. 24, CTAS held its annual Moonfest dance, the profits of which went toward the relief fund organized by the two groups.
"It's really sad, because some families can never come together again," said Yee Jiun Lai, a senior in the School of Hotel Administration and a member of CTAS. As an international student who has only been away from Taiwan for the past four years, Lai couldn't help feeling directly affected by this disaster. "Taiwan is my home," she said, explaining her decision to get involved in relief efforts.
The two student organizations are welcoming any contributions. People interested in donating money to the cause should send checks payable to the Taiwan Earthquake Relief Fund to: Taiwan Earthquake Relief Fund, c/o Michael Wu, 301 College Ave., Apt. 2A, Ithaca, N.Y. 14850.
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