Groups Seek Aid for Vietnam’s Typhoon Victims

When she heard a typhoon had killed thousands in southern Vietnam, the urge to help was instinctive, remembered Nicole Nguyen, 21.

“I kept thinking, what if it was me in their shoes? Who will help me?” said Nguyen, a student at UC Irvine.

Her feelings were echoed by other Vietnamese American youth, many of whom were born and raised in the U.S. yet feel a responsibility to their ancestral homeland.

That sense of connection has led two dozen Vietnamese American groups, from teenagers to young professionals, to organize a walkathon scheduled for Sunday at Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley to raise money for the typhoon victims.

Despite the fact that some Vietnamese Americans consider any aid to victims in their homeland as support of the Communist government, most of the younger generation take a different view--one devoid of political overtones, walkathon organizers said.

“We may disagree with the government, but we are always with the people. We want them to know they are not alone,” said volunteer Linh Van Nguyen, 40.

Considered the worst natural disaster in Southeast Asia in a century, Typhoon Linda left 3,700 dead and destroyed thousands of homes, schools and towns in November. The International Red Cross sent out a global appeal for $4.82 million to assist the 150,000 victims with emergency food and shelter for three months. So far, the campaign has raised about three-quarters of that.

The devastation already has driven many churches, Buddhist temples and provincial associations in Orange County to send thousands of dollars in emergency aid.

But the walkathon is planned to unite the Vietnamese American community in a show of support for disaster victims, organizers said.

“Even though many of us were born and grew up here, we still feel connected to the people in our homeland,” said Nam Dinh, 40, of Fullerton. “We wanted to show that Vietnamese overseas and in the native land can be united.”

A similar fund-raiser sponsored by the youth groups two years ago for Vietnamese refugees in the Philippines drew 6,000 people and netted $450,000. Organizers of Sunday’s event hope to match that monetary figure.

All the money will be given to the International Red Cross, through the local chapter, said organizer Chi Nguyen, 33. The international agency was chosen to allay concerns that money might be funneled off by government officials if it was sent directly to Vietnam, he said.

So far, the local Red Cross chapter has received about $30,500 for typhoon victims, said Barbara Powers, director of financial development for the American Red Cross of Orange County.

“From what I’ve seen, there’s been a lot of support from the Vietnamese community,” she said.

The walkathon committee chose to organize independently of political groups to try to steer clear of the political strife so prevalent in discussions of aid to Vietnam, Chi Nguyen said.

“We didn’t work with other political organizations in the Vietnamese community because we want to avoid that,” Nguyen emphasized. “We wanted to be neutral. We want this to be a strictly humanitarian effort.”

The walkathon begins at 9 a.m. Sunday at Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley. For more information, call (714) 901-6823.

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Helpful Steps

Sunday’s walkathon will raise money through pledges for typhoon victims in southern Vietnam. Or, donations can be made to participants. What you need to know:

* What: Walkathon to raise funds for victims of Typhoon Linda in Vietnam

* Where: Mile Square Regional Park, 16801 Euclid St., Fountain Valley

* When: 9 a.m. Sunday

* Information: For pledge sheets or to learn more about fund-raising, call (714) 901-6823