A Note from Japan

During and after the 3/11 earthquake, we hoopers in and around Tokyo were barely impacted, aside from freaking out and sweeping up some broken crockery. We are grateful for our good fortune and are so very sad for the losses and suffering of people in Tohoku.

We are planning several fundraisers for relief efforts and they are coming together within the next month or so. We will reach out to the global hooping community for support and participation, but if you want to do something locally with your own hoop group more quickly, please take the initiative.

Collecting items for donation is a little bit challenging. Although there is great need for things like food, rubber boots, shovels, and consumables from toilet paper to plastic wrap, getting them to the right place from foreign destinations is not so simple. If you know a manufacturer or distributor of potentially useful goods who can send things in bulk, let us know and we will make connections.

So if you want to help right now, you can hustle up some cash to donate. Here are some ideas to help you put a spin on your fundraising:

1. Charity hoop-off (or other games). Collect an entry fee donation from each participant and see who can hoop the longest. Provide a small prize for the winner.
2. Donate a portion of your general hoop/accessory sales, or create a new hoop product especially for fundraising.
3. Performance. With friends and fellow performers, put on a show with ticket sales donated.
   
4. Put together a special workshop or donate the fees from one of your regular classes.
   
5. Pass the hat for donations. No hassle fundraising at your next hoop jam (unless you don't have a hat...)
   

Charities to Consider
When asking for donations, it's a good idea to let the donors know where the money is going. I can recommend these projects in Japan because we are involved in them ourselves or have friends working with them. We know they are effective and getting aid where it is needed.

Peace Boat. They are cooking 500-800 meals a day for refugees and also distributing donated items and helping to clean up flooded spaces in Ishinomaki, Miyagi. Crews of 50 volunteers go up in weekly rotations to help. (Sareh, one of our hoop group, is going up with them tonight and will be back in a week. )

Second Harvest Japan. Are collecting and delivering food to the affected areas, as well as supplies donated. They have raised more than 40 million yen ($470,000) and are moving into phase two of their efforts - creating a stable food lifeline to the area.

And there are plenty more: Peace Winds Japan/Mercy Corps; JEN; the Red Cross; and numerous medical volunteers. Everyone is doing their utmost and deserving of support.

Thank you
Thank you for your thoughts, prayers and actions to help disaster relief here. We are truly grateful for your consideration, your concern, and your assistance. ありがとうございます。宜しくお願いします。

Regards from,
Tink in Tokyo