IWU Raises $30,000 for Tsunami, Flood Victims
By Alan Miller
3/07/05

The Indiana Wesleyan University community, primarily through the efforts of students, raised more than $30,000 for tsunami victims in Sri Lanka and for families affected by January floods in Marion.

The money was raised in less than two months through various projects coordinated by World Impact, a student missions organization. Dr. Jim Lo, who teaches intercultural studies at IWU, is the director of World Impact.

The majority of the money, more than $16,000, was raised through offerings taken during weekly chapel services at IWU. The other funds came from:

• A benefit concert, hosted by Brookhaven Wesleyan Church and featuring several IWU and community music groups: $6,856.
• A donation from Brookhaven Church: $2,177.
• A push-up project sponsored by the men of Hodson Hall, an IWU residence hall: $4,000.
• $1,500 from a Relay for Relief benefit in the IWU intramural gym.

Students also donated more than 1,000 stuffed animals for homeless children in Sri Lanka plus several boxes of clothing.

The money will be used to assist the relief efforts already under way in Sri Lanka by World Hope International. Dr. Jo Anne Lyon, executive director of World Hope, came to IWU on Feb. 7 to thank students for their efforts.

A 13-student mission team from IWU, led by Dr. Lo, traveled to Sri Lanka for 10 days during spring break.

About $2,100 of the money raised from the benefit concert and the Relay for Life went to victims of January floods in Marion.

Alan Miller is the University Relations Director at Indiana Wesleyan University.