Col. Don Weckhorst, 35th Fighter Wing vice commander at Misawa Air Base, Japan, signs a check for more than $11,000 to the American Red Cross on Friday for ongoing tsunami relief work in South Asia. In all, Misawa has turned in more than $19,000 to the Red Cross since the Dec. 26 disaster. (Jennifer H. Svan / S&S)
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan — The money came in piecemeal: The 35th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron turned in a three-gallon water jug of pocket change and dollar bills; sailors and airmen opened their wallets; private organizations signed over hefty checks; Japanese national employees threw in yen.
After trips to the bank too numerous to count, the Misawa First Sergeants Council raised more than $11,000 to help with ongoing tsunami relief work in South Asia. The group signed over the funds to Misawa’s American Red Cross station manager, Jason Ramlow, on Friday in a brief ceremony at 35th Fighter Wing headquarters.
“We were thinking, $3,000, $5,000 — it’s basically three-fold our estimation,” said Senior Master Sgt. Shawn Edwards, 35th Civil Engineer Squadron first sergeant and council member. “The support from the Misawa community was very outstanding and generous.”
The council’s primary role is to advise the 35th Fighter Wing command chief, but because it’s also a private organization, it can raise money for various causes, Edwards said.
“Legally the wing couldn’t sponsor a (tsunami) relief fund-raiser,” he said. “The first sergeants decided to take that on.”
Edwards said the council served as a conduit between people wanting to help tsunami victims and the Red Cross in the days and months following the Dec. 26 disaster.
Each squadron’s first sergeant spread the word about the effort and helped collect funds. The Navy at Misawa did the same.
Master Sgt. Ed Canino, 35th Communications Squadron first sergeant and council treasurer, said from 150 to 200 checks were turned in.
“Squadrons were bringing in the money in jars and bags,” he said.
Ramlow said the Red Cross at Misawa also received more than $8,000 separately from Misawa residents and organizations, bringing the base’s total contribution to about $19,700. The American Red Cross will put the money in its international response fund, which is being tapped to help with ongoing tsunami relief work in South Asia, Ramlow said. As of March 22, the American Red Cross received about $460 million in pledges for tsunami victims.
Master Sgt. Stanley McDonald, 35th Operations Group first sergeant and council president, said this was the group’s largest fund- raiser for a single event.
“It was definitely an awesome effort,” he said.
