Mother Nature has delivered a pair of devastating blows to the Philippines in the past month.
A 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck the island of Bohol in the central part of the country Oct. 15. More than 200 people were killed.
Then last Friday, Nov. 8, Typhoon Haiyan hit the eastern Philippine coast. There could be 2,000 people dead, though some estimates have the death toll reaching several thousand.
A fundraiser in Courtenay will benefit relief efforts in the Philippines. Dubbed A Taste of the Philippines, the Nov. 24 event will feature Filipino cuisine, music and entertainment at the Native Sons Hall.
Eddy Betinol and staff at Joint Physiotherapy, in partnership with the regional Filipino community, will host the event. Betinol is Filipino. His family resides in Bohol.
Betinol's spouse, Donna Cloutier, is a Courtenay Rotarian who was at the epicentre of the earthquake during a volunteer mission in the Philippines. Local donations helped purchase a generator for water pumps in Bohol.
The Comox Valley Multicultural & Immigrant Support Society will chip in any support it can muster if it enters a float in the local Christmas parade.
"If we can win anything, the money goes to help the Philippine victims," said president Jin Lin, noting the federal government has expressed interest in matching money raised at a Christmas party.
Tickets for A Taste of the Philippines are $50 per person. For more information and to donate, visit atasteofphilippines.com/gala-fund-raiser.
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The Coastal Community Credit Union is accepting donations for the Canadian Red Cross relief efforts following Typhoon Haiyan.
The Canadian government has pledged to match individual donations made between Nov. 8 and Dec. 9 to charitable organizations supporting typhoon relief efforts.
Credit Union branches and insurance offices on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands are accepting cash or cheque donations from members, clients or the public. Make donations payable to Coastal Community – Typhoon Haiyan. Tax receipts will be issued for donations of $20 or more.
This is the second in less than a year that Coastal Community has partnered with the Red Cross to raise money on behalf of relief efforts. In the summer, it collected donations to assist flood victims in southern Alberta.
“It’s nothing short of impressive how eager people are to support those affected by devastating situations,” says Allyson Prescesky, manager of Community Experience & Communications at Coastal Community. “We’re pleased that we’re able to play a small role in helping.”
For more information on how to donate, contact your nearest branch or insurance office.
reporter@comoxvalleyrecord.com