The Tsunami Relief Benefit Dinner raised $30,000 for the Save the Children foundation Saturday in the Ohio Union ballrooms, said Kashif Khan, coordinator for Asian American Student Services.
The dinner was held by The Tsunami Aid Coalition at Ohio State and Tsunami Central Ohio Relief Effort. 475 people were in attendance, nine of whom donated over $300.
The mood of the evening was set by a short film entitled “Hope,” by OSU student Logan Nalliah, which mixed images of optimism with the sobering images of the tsunami’s destruction.
Ama Egyaba Baidu-Forson, a senior in economics, said she felt that same jumble of emotions throughout the night.
“I think it was simultaneously beautiful and haunting,” Baidu-Forson said. “The way people have been able to come together at this time is beautiful, but it’s also very sobering.”
The decoration of the ballrooms also helped set the solemn mood.
Hanging from the ceiling in the dimly lit rooms were dozens of red paper ball lanterns. A large part of the wall was lined with the flags of countries devastated by the tsunami. On each end of the ballrooms was a large video screen.
On every table was a black tray, which included a small amount of beans, rice, oil, sugar and wheat.
“These are the rations that the United Nations drops in affected areas,” Khan said. “I and the rest of the community are really hopeful that you are mindful of that.”
Beyond the short film, the evening also featured four speakers, Indonesian and classical Indian dance performances, and a presentation from the Sri Lankan Students Association, which was new to OSU in fall quarter.
Thavam Thambi-Pillai, a doctor from the International Medical Health Organization, said the impact of the tsunami that hit on Dec. 26, 2004, was particularly devastating for Sri Lanka because it had just reached the end of a civil war.
“The tsunami waves unfortunately did not take one or two members from a family, but sometimes half a family or a whole family,” Thambi-Pillai said. “It’s like pouring oil into a burning fire.”
There was also a silent auction to raise money for the relief effort.
The auction included two autographed footballs, one by former OSU football star Archie Griffin and the other by football coach Jim Tressel.
Also up for auction were several pictures and paintings, various OSU apparel, two autographed jerseys from the 2000 Major League Soccer All-Star Game, tickets to see a Pakistani music group at the Mershon Center, and books.
Many students decided to volunteer their time to help at the dinner.
There were so many volunteers, Kahn said, that he was having trouble finding something for all of them to do.
Rishee Bhatt, a junior in mechanical engineering, was one of those volunteers.
“It’s a good cause,” Bhatt said. “After what happened, a lot of people who have relatives or descendants from that area want to help out.”
OSU President Karen A. Holbrook was unable to attend the dinner because of her commitment to the ACT board of directors in San Diego, but sent a letter that was read to the audience expressing her pride in the student leaders and groups on campus.
