By Tom Smith
As the first anniversary of the Feb. 22 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, and the March 11 earthquake and subsequent tsunami in northern Japan approach, the funds that were raised in a joint “Airports helping Airports” effort have been fully distributed. ACI-NA, ACI World, ACI Asia-Pacific and American Association of Airport Executives raised just over $48,800 in contributions.
The “Christchurch Earthquake Airport Employee Relief Fund” has raised $16,161, which was transferred to Christchurch Airport in the second half of 2011. The money was distributed to its impacted employees.
The “Japan Earthquake Relief Fund” has raised $32,648 and the fund was transferred to Sendai Airport just before Christmas. The funds were distributed to seven airport employees whose homes were swept away in the tsunami. Thank you letters (both in the original Japanese and English translations) from some of the aid recipients are attached.
The former neighborhood of a Sendai airport employee.
“Thank you once again for your generous support and donations,” wrote Patti Chau, Regional Director, ACI Asia-Pacific, who helped coordinate the distribution. “At the commencement of the New Year, I would like to wish you all a happy, healthy and peaceful 2012 and may natural disasters and perils be away from us all in the years to come.”
Since ACI and AAAE first teamed up to provide assistance after Hurricane Katrina; almost $410,000 has been donated by the airport industry for airport employees in the Gulf States, Haiti, New Zealand and Japan.