UCR Students Rally to Support and Raise Funds for Victims of Typhoon Haiyan

Vigil is set for Nov. 15 at Andulka Park; On-campus fundraiser and auction to be held Nov. 20

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A candlelight vigil for victims of Typhoon Haiyan will be held on Friday, Nov. 15, 2013 at Andulka Park in Riverside.

EDIT: Due to the possibility of rain, the site of the Katipunan FIHSes for a Cause event has been moved to Life Sciences 1500.

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — Spurred by the news of death and devastation in the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan, several University of California, Riverside student groups are coming together to host events to raise funds for relief efforts and to give members their community a chance to grieve.

UC Riverside has approximately 1,041 Filipino students among the undergraduate and graduate populations, some of whom have friends and family who have been affected by the disaster.

“There is a feeling of sadness and shock with the amount of damage this typhoon has created. And with the images that are now coming out from the Philippines, there is a sense of urgency to do something,” said William Caganap, interim director of Asian Pacific Student Programs at UCR. “UCR has a proud history of coming together to help in relief efforts during times like this.”

On Friday, November 15 at 8 p.m., a candlelight vigil will be held at Riverside’s Andulka Park. The event is hosted by UCR’s Asian Pacific Islander Student Advisory Council and the Los Angeles-based Anakbayan LA. Other sponsoring groups include UCR’s Katipunan Pilipino Student Organization, the Lubos Pilipino American Student Organization of California State University San Bernardino and the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON).

Senior biology major Jesse Santos, student coordinator for Asian Pacific Student Programs and an organizer of the vigil, said it is scheduled to last an hour and the general public is invited to participate. Andulka Park is located at 5273 Chicago Ave. in Riverside.

Following the vigil, participants will gather at the Mandarin Gardens restaurant at 1445 University Ave. in Riverside, where 20 percent of profits from 8 p.m. to closing will go towards relief efforts. Flyers about participating in the event will be distributed to patrons at the door.

On Wednesday, Nov. 20, Katipunan and Filipinos in Health Sciences (FIHS) will team up to host “Katipunan FIHSes for a Cause” in Life Sciences 1500 beginning at 7:30 p.m. The evening will feature live singing and dancing as well as an auction. In addition to items like movie tickets, groups from each organization will offer themselves up to perform services such as washing a car or doing yard work for the highest bidder. All proceeds from the event will go toward relief efforts and general donations will be accepted.

Yochabel Loyola, a senior biology major and president of UCR Katipunan said that she hopes students from across the campus turn out for the event.

“Though UCR is made up of different people and different organizations, we are one community that should stand together in times of need. There are many UCR students whose families and friends have been affected by this disaster,” she said. “We’re so privileged here, and students should lend a hand and give back to communities who need more support.”

UCR has set up a website with details about how students can help relief efforts in the Philippines. Visit www.relief.ucr.edu for more information.

Archived under: Politics/Society, Asian Pacific Islander Student Advisory Council, Asian Pacific Student Programs, Katipunan, philippines, press release, typhoon haiyan, William Caganap

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