"COAA Sichuan Earthquake Campaign Relief, Release 5"

[COA...@gmail.com]

Dear Friends,

After months effort, our donation campaign for the Sichuan earthquake
relief has achieved our goal and come to the conclusion. On behalf of
COAA Board of Directors and the Southern California Executive
Committee, we would like to express our gratefulness for your
contribution to the Sichuan Earthquake Relief Fund. We have been
touched by the enthusiastic responses from so many of you and so many
scientific institutions.

The Sichuan Earthquake Relief Fund received a total of $17,675 for the
Campaign. The donation comes from 199 individuals, affiliated with 26
academic institutions in 15 States, including retired professors and
students. Paypal charges administration fee, $53, for donations
through Paypal. The COAA Board of Directors and Southern California
Executive Committee have decided to share this cost, and make sure
every penny from the donation goes to Sichuan.

We have mailed the total amount, $17,675, and donors’ information to
the Sichuan Provincial Meteorological Society (SPMS), a local chapter
of Chinese Meteorological Society, which is a sister organizations of
COAA. SPMS is now in the process of working with the bank cashing
the donation and distributing the fund. The Chinese Bank has strict
procedures to accept donations and we have worked with our colleagues
in Sichuan to comply with the regulations. Collaborating with
Meteorological Bureau of Sichuan Province (MBSP), it has been agreed
that the fund will mainly go to the victims and their families of the
Beichuan Station. MBSP/SPMS will provide a report to us in the future
after the donation is distributed. We will pass this information onto
you when available.

The Deputy Director of the MBSP has informed us that the people at the
MBSP have been deeply moved by our fundraising campaign, and are
grateful to all the friends who participate in the donation. They
indicated that although the earthquake brought enormous difficulty to
their colleagues, knowing so many people’ love and support in helping
their reconstruction efforts is a great comfort and encouragement.

We will send out receipts in a couple of weeks after we receive the
acknowledgment certificate from MBSP, since it takes several
procedures for SPMS to cash the donation. If you do not receive the
receipt and the certificate in a month, please contact Yongkang
(yx...@geog.ucla.edu) and Yu Gu (g...@atmos.ucla.edu). The donor list is
posted on the COAA SCA website, http://groups.google.com/group/coaascc.
Please check to make sure your name is there. We are keeping the
process transparent; anyone can send an email to guy...@yahoo.com and
yx...@geog.ucla.edu to request audit information.

Thank you again for all your effort.


S.-K. Yang Yongkang Xue
COAA President 2008 Chair, COAA SCC Executive
Committee

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