Editor’s note: This article has been corrected. The Taiwanese Student Association, not the Turkish Student Association, was involved in this event.
The Nikkei Student Union has started a month-long campaign to sell origami cranes for $1 as part of the tsunami relief efforts to send humanitarian aid to those affected by Japan’s largest natural disaster.
On Tuesday, Cal State Long Beach students, faculty and staff donated more than $450 to relief efforts in just five hours to the cultural Japanese club.
The club symbolically came up with the idea of selling origami cranes from the Japanese legend of Sadako Sasaki, a Japanese girl who tried to fold a thousand cranes to be granted a wish — recovery from the leukemia she was battling as a result of radiation from the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
“A thousand cranes makes one wish,” said Kiyoji Whitener, NSU’s cultural officer. “The thousand cranes are a symbol of peace.”
Japan was left devastated after an 8.9-magnitude earthquake struck Thursday evening. The impact sent waves roaring across the Pacific Ocean, killing an estimated tens of thousands of people, as well as sweeping away entire towns, houses, cars and boats.
“In the aftermath of this disaster, it is amazing to see the unity and compassion our entire campus has shown,” NSU club member Megan Ono said.
Although Ono’s family and relatives, who live in Japan like many other members of the NSU, were not directly affected by the tsunami, roughly close to half of the 60 students that are part of the club have some family member or relatives currently living in Japan.
“A family friend of mine lives close to the epicenter,” Ono said. “Her entire house got flooded and, amid the anguish, she also experienced a power outage. She couldn’t find her emergency packets in the dark. She had to wait until the sun came out the following morning.”
After having seen the aftermath of the tsunami waves, as early as Friday, members of the NSU scrambled to find a way to send their wishes of safety and quick recovery as well as financial support to the people of Japan.
Several student groups on campus including Kappa Psi Epsilon, Financial Management Association, Associated Students Inc., Chinese Student Association, Asian American Christian Fellowship, Taiwanese Student Association and Sigma Phi Omega have already committed to help NSU make origami cranes out of paper, with all proceeds going toward the areas of Japan affected by the earthquakes and tsunamis, according to President of NSU Bryce Joe.
Charlene Chang, finance major and president of CSULB’s FMA club, said she believes it is important for students to become involved with the Cranes for a Cause Event.
“Everyone reads and sees these pleas for donations for the cause,” Chang said. “They are oftentimes so quick as a text to donate $10. Those events are fantastic because they are so easily accessible, but to physically participate in something like Cranes for a Cause is something that is beneficial to the cause and to the student getting involved.”
NSU is coordinating with any group and club that wants to get involved in taking action to raise humanitarian aid for the people affected by this natural disaster, including the Loft Hawaiian Restaurant, which said they would also help raise funds for this catastrophic disaster.
Masako Douglas, associate professor of the Department of Asian and American Studies, is also extending the idea of Cranes for a Cause to local Japanese Saturday schools. Douglas, who has a connection with Japanese Saturday schools hopes to get the children involved in the cause by allowing them to fold cranes.
Joe said NSU’s fundraising goal was set at $1,000, but he has hope for more after Tuesday’s turnout.
NSU will be selling the origami cranes and accepting donations Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. near the Liberal Arts 5 and psychology buildings. The group plans on disbursing the funds to the American Red Cross.
“As college students, we don’t see how much influence we really have,” Whitener said. “If every one of us told a friend, we would have an incredible donation. Every little bit helps.”
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