Lethbridge residents fundraise for earthquake relief

Amanda Dang and other members of the Winston Churchill High School Rotary Interact Club felt compelled to do what they could to help following Monday’s devastating earthquake.

LETHBRIDGE -

Aid from around the world has been pouring in for Turkiye and Syria following Monday’s devastating earthquake.

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake has left more than 21,000 dead.

The death toll continues to climb.

Soon, some of the aid coming into the two countries will have originated in Lethbridge.

Members of the Winston Churchill High School Rotary Interact Club have started a fundraising to help with disaster relief.

“At our school, we are collecting donations from the students and the student’s families. Every morning, we have I-2 time at our school, which is basically the first 30 minutes of the day. We have a table set up in the front foyer where we collect donations from them,” said club member Amanda Dang.

Dang and other members of the club felt compelled to do what they could to help.

“I just felt so devastated, seeing what had happened to all the people and then seeing the estimates of the casualties in the tens of thousands. I wanted to do something,” Dang said.

The earthquake has had a wide-reaching impact, with millions affected by the disaster.

But for members of Lethbridge’s Muslim community, it’s hit particularly close to home.

“The news just broke yesterday, I believe, that two members of our community have lost multiple loved ones in this earthquake. So it’s a time for us to come together as a community,” said Zuber Sidyot, imam at the Lethbridge Islamic Centre.

Members of the Lethbridge Muslim Association will host a fundraiser and prayer session in support of those suffering from the earthquake.

“This is the time for us as a community to get together and give our condolences to those who have lost loved ones and at the same time raise funds and support those who have been impacted by this tragedy,” Sidyot said.

The prayer session and fundraiser will be at the Lethbridge Islamic Centre on Friday at 1 p.m., and all members of the community are invited to attend.