We're half a world away from Japan but many St. Albertans are reaching out to offer help. And some of the people leading the charge have some pretty close ties.
Bill Mallon is a Grade 1 teacher at Muriel Martin Elementary School. He loves the country, having lived in Japan for 12 years. His wife is Japanese and her family is still there.
"It's been a little bit tense this last week," he admitted. "Everybody's under a lot of stress."
He's just thankful his wife's family is unscathed and the home is in good shape.
The country was struck with a 9.0 magnitude earthquake northeast of Tokyo on March 11. The extensive damage from that event and the devastating tsunami that followed afterward killed nearly 7,000 people, injured another 2,600 people, and left almost 11,000 still missing. It was so strong it shifted the entire island 2.4 metres to the east and the planet's rotational axis moved 10 centimetres.
While we didn't feel the earth move, we were moved to action.
That's why Mallon is encouraging others to send warm thoughts and donations to the Red Cross relief effort. His students knew he had much on his mind so he decided that something constructive had to be done. A drive has just started to collect funds in the classrooms.
"Definitely, I know the Japanese Red Cross are working in the area so we know that the money is going directly to the disaster site."
He had one last message of hope to impart: "gambatte."
"It means keep fighting. Don't give up."
Schools teach ethics of caring
Other schools are also spinning up their own projects to put more coins in the can with students and teachers from both the Protestant and Greater St. Albert Catholic districts getting involved with no idea too big or too small. For example, Paul Kane High School sold shamrock shakes on Thursday with proceeds going to the cause.
John Strembitsky of Sir Alexander Mackenzie Elementary (SAM) School explained that encouraging students to think of those in need is just as important as learning long division, if not more so.
"Ultimately, citizenship skills are a big part of our curriculum, both with the mandated curriculum from Alberta Education as well as the hidden or unwritten curriculum."
SAM promotes a host of other volunteer and humanitarian efforts with local, national and international scopes, all geared toward establishing and reinforcing better people. When tragedy strikes anywhere, conscious and conscientious individuals must step up to the plate.
"We see it on the news. That's why it's important."
Any member of the public who wishes to help can make online donations through the Canadian Red Cross. There's a link for 'Japan Earthquake – Asia Pacific Tsunami' on the home page at www.redcross.ca. You can also call 1-800-418-1111 or text the word 'ASIA' to 30333 to make a one-time donation of $5.
