The Aruba Bank account number 261204, is officially closed. The account was open in early January under the name of Aruba Help Tsunami Victims. It slowly accumulated an astounding Awg 331.368,- earmarked for UNICEF and disaster relief for the Tsunami stricken areas in south-Asia.
Hugo van Mourik & Nicolien Middel, of behalf of Aruba Bank and Peter Balliere and Rona Coster, on behalf of Aruba Help Tsunami Victims showed off the UNICEF check this week at the bank's headquarters in Camacuri Peter Balliere reports he wanted to launch the fund-raising activity the morning after the disaster, when he saw the heartbreaking footage starting to come in on TV. Together with his neighbor, Rona Coster, they scheduled collections in the local supermarkets the following weekend, January 10th.
That first effort delivered a surprising Awg 32.000. A second weekend of activities included an IDEFRE Walkathon and collections from the very generous business community.
According to Aruba Bank a total of Awg 48.000 was raised in supermarkets and on the streets; Awg 40.000 was donated by the Indian Community; Awg 30.000 was paid by the local Bankers' Association; Awg 25.000 was handed over by the Cordia group; Awg 10.000 was collected by the Wyndham employees; Awg 1,500 was put together by La Cabana's crew; Over Awg 5,000 was cashed in by AHATA by selling SEVEN Aruba vacations on line. Also collected at the IDEFRE walkathon Awg 2,010. Other companies including AAA - the airport, Calloway Catering, De Palm Tours, Western Union, Digicel, Island Temptations Magazine, Salamander Holdings, Flora Market and CATA dug deep into their pockets.
Aruba's artists community Flor Huygen, Stan Kuiperi, Alida Martinez, Osaira Muyale, Maria Martinez, the late Sheila Mackay, Eliza Lejuez, Paul Van Driel, Mo Mohamed and Frank Graat donated art pieces for the auction. Jewelry, a couture top by designer Percy Irausquin, dry clean services and assorted gift certificates rounded up the list of goodies sold at auction to benefit the Tsunami victims.
The first wave of fund raising activities culminated in a live happening at Havana featuring music, food and an art auction. The direct radio transmission and an hour long TV show with media personality Ruben Garcia yielded great results. In total Awg 200.026,- were raised from individual and corporate donations by January 18th; Awg 35,540 from the art auction conducted by published Douglass Markus.
The party at Havana featured music by various island bands and known DJs. The Tsunami Band, the Ithaca Jazz band, the Brass Selection and Marisela and her band entertained party-goers with nonstop tunes from early in the evening until the wee hours. Fifteen of Aruba's famed restaurants among them Chez Mathilde, Rumba and Salt & Pepper offered their signature dishes. It was a fantastic success.
Then there were more donations among them a most touching one from Scol pa Esenansa Special Dunuman, in Piedra Plat. The special kids at the Dunuman School, lived up to their name and lent a hand to people suffering over the ocean. "Love Soothes Everything" said the envelope handed to Aruba Bank director Fons Simon. Also touched by the Tsunami disaster in south Asia, Mon Plaisir School and De Schakel, ANTRACO and Pinchos Bar & Grill, besides many others too numerous to name.
The end result speaks for itself. Aruba has a heart of gold. A total of Awg 331.368.- donated to UNICEF, the United Nations charity.
