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Help TCC Earthquake relief fundraising?

EricinIkebukuro

Speeding Up
Jan 30, 2011
414
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Hey Everyone,

I have been trying to think of a way to help our neighbors in the 東北area. Japan has been a good home to me and I cannot stand watching the news anymore, thinking that I haven't done much to help.

I am asking that the TCC as a group come up with a way to raise money or supplies to send to the north. So far I have been playing with the idea that, with TCC permission, we create a special TCC cycle jersey in honor of the earthquake victims. A company called Shift Cycle Wear has started doing this but they will only be donating 20% of their sales
(http://www.shiftcyclewear.com/one-world-japan-cycling-jersey.html).

If we could find a company here in Japan to make the jerseys and willing to donate a much higher percentage, perhaps we could try and sell these special TCC jerseys to the cyclist communities here in Japan. This is a rough idea and any input is very welcome. If there are any other ideas on what we can do I would be glad to hear it. I don't know who the TCC admins are but if you are one, please give me your input (and permission to use the TCC name (>_0)v ).
Anyone interested please email me here or to [email protected]
 
good idea about wanting to help but seriously the best way to help is a straight donation to JRCS http://www.jrc.or.jp/english/relief/l4/Vcms4_00002070.html. All the thoughts, prayers and gesturing in the world won't accomplish as much as cold hard cash. Donate it in the name of TCC if you like. Others may disagree with my sentiments but most anything else will just be using up resources that could be better spent. Perhaps if TCC wanted to do something to raise funds collectively a sponsored ride from all and sundry both in Japan and abroad. Say 10 yen for every kilometer ridden by a rider in a 24 hour period. Travis I'm sure could find a suitable 400km course for TCC to finish. I would even try to get down from Aomori for that. Course here in NZ we have our own Earthquake rebuild to think about. Cheers.
KS
 
Totaly agree with Simon.....as a good freind of mine recently said "Praying is an excuse to make you feel like you are doing something to help and show you care, when in actual fact you are doing nothing"

COLD HARD CASH or sending items such as canned food, propane gas, warm clothing, sleeping bags will help.
 
I think Eric's idea is to get money from people who might not otherwise donate, by selling the shirts. But I kind of agree that right now, given the continuing urgency, donating and encouraging donations through a direct-as-possible source, such as NHK or similar, is probably the best.

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but goods are being collected at the Tokyo City Hall in Shinjuku for shipping up north. In my in-laws' case, at least, the immediate concerns about blankets and food are somewhat alleviated now, but according to recent TV reports there is a big need for baby stuff (diapers etc), other hygiene products, paper products of all kinds, including paper cups and plates as well as towels and toilet paper. Kerosene and the like can't be shipped in regular trucks, so they can't be accepted, and old clothes are not really welcomed (although new-in-packet clothes would be, I imagine). Batteries, candles, flashlights would be useful too. Matches aren't being accepted.
 
Like Phil said, my intention is to try and get money from people who would normally not donate. I agree that cold hard cash is best because then the JRC can buy what ever they need. I have made my own donations but being a part-time employed college student, I don't have much to give on my own. I think that selling jerseys to people might be an easy way to raise money to give to the JRC. Having a sponsored ride also sounds like a great Idea. I see volunteers at every train station asking for donations but hardly anyone gives. If there is some incentive, such as receiving a cycle jersey or if there is some fun activity, like a 400km ride, people will be willing to donate.
 
Just my $0.02

Back from Sendai. Again.

The displaced folks up in Tohoku will need all sorts of support for a long time; fiscal, physical, psychological, and more.

The immediate needs are daily necessities, cash, as has been mentioned, for the support organizations to buy and supply those necessities, and for medical aid.

Unfortunately because of the dreadful conditions in some of the smaller and more isolated evac. locations (not the ones you see on the news) more and more people who were initially 'just' evacuees are developing serious medical problems such as pneumonia and dysentery. MSF and other groups are doing everything they can, but as the days pass this is becoming a huge issue. So many of the hospitals are FUBAR, and there are no means to transport the sick to where they can get help.

BTW in the last week I've driven across Japan eight times, and four times passed under Sasaya-toge - the mountain pass linking Yamagata and Miyagi prefectures. At least on the map, this looks like one helluva ride for those who like hairpin curves! (Snowed out at the moment, of course.) Perhaps later in the year a support ride...

--Mike--
 
I just ran across this site....

http://www.foreignvolunteersjapan.org/

Worth a look.

The CMAT team is getting ready to pull out of Japan, they have done all they can do.

The water purification units never made it out of customs, seems the Japanese government would not allow them to be used, as they are not certified in Japan. The NOMAD system, 95 liters of water a minute can be purified, but the government would not allow these units to be used, go figure :(
 
The water purification units never made it out of customs, seems the Japanese government would not allow them to be used, as they are not certified in Japan. The NOMAD system, 95 liters of water a minute can be purified, but the government would not allow these units to be used, go figure :(
That's so annoying. Presumably there are unique Japanese pathogens in the water.

Do you know whether the Canadian Embassy got involved? Diplomatic notes can sometime make customs problems go away ;) given a little time - and those people are going to need help for a long time.
 
That's so annoying. Presumably there are unique Japanese pathogens in the water.

Do you know whether the Canadian Embassy got involved? Diplomatic notes can sometime make customs problems go away ;) given a little time - and those people are going to need help for a long time.

I don't know all the minute details, a contract with the Canadian embassy was offered, but not taken up, I think that the CMAT headquarters in Canada was dealing directly with the Canadian and Japanese governments and the decision was made by the Japanese government to NOT allow it's use in Japan, thus it is being shipped back to Canada, two units, capable of running for 6 month plus, purifying 95 liters of water a minute, that is a possible 136,000 liters a day, but they say there is no need for it :rolleyes:

Sad really.
 
Im no expert on the topic but from what I know the US military and SDF have releif efforts running and I know for a fact that they have an awful lot of equipment up there for purification of water on a mass scale.

The logisitcs in shipping, fueling and maintaining these units could have weighed in to the factor along with the possiblitity that they are now surplus to requirements.

Like I said im no expert on the matter.
 
Perhaps if TCC wanted to do something to raise funds collectively a sponsored ride from all and sundry both in Japan and abroad. Say 10 yen for every kilometer ridden by a rider in a 24 hour period.
KS

I thought this was a good Idea and I have begun organizing for such an event. I don't really have much info about it to give just yet but I am trying to figure out a good course. I was thinking somewhere in Chiba might be a good place. Last time I rode Edogawa I remember there being many good roads and cycling roads. I don't know Chiba well since I have only been there a couple times, but if anyone could help me with a route I would appreciate it. Perhaps just post a Mapmyride.com link here or something. If anyone thinks there is a location better than Chiba, please let me know. When I have more details I will post them up.

Also out of curiosity, who here from TCC would be interested in joining a ride like this? I would hope to have this ride happen in mid to late April or early May
 
Parts of Chiba are official "hisanchi"--Asahi, south of Choshi on the coast, got hit quite hard by the tsunamis, for example--so I'd be careful with a Chiba route (not because of any physical risk but for, er, what's the word I'm looking for? Not respect...danger of being misinterpreted, maybe?)

The Chiba brevets scheduled this month were all pushed back to late April for the above reason, which is about the same time you're thinking, so it'll be no problem by then. But I'd still avoid anywhere near or along the Kujukuri coast for any organized ride for a while.

If you search "Boso" or "Choshi" or "Tone" on the forums you'll turn up a lot of our past TCC rides, with various route ideas usually linked in the first post of the thread.

I think it's a great idea by the way; if things settle down here a bit I'd love to help out. Just PM or mail.
 
Hopefully by mid to late April the area around Choshi will be getting back to normal. I had a thought that if we were to ride in that area perhaps it might be encouraging to see people doing a fund raiser for their benifit. Just an idea, but with that in mind, I have a route to propose. Is 200KM, starting at the Emperors Palace in Tokyo and actually ending in Choshi. Perhaps it could become a 2 day ride, 1 day there and 1 day back. Starts from the palace, then heads over to Arakawa river, which we follow north until route 6. From there we head east until Edogawa. We ride the east bank of Edogawa until is turns to Tone River. From there we follow Tone river all the way to Choshi. Just an idea to think about. http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/30370192
 
Wrist bands

Guys,

I've been working with Eperformance to raise money and awareness of the releif effort and plight of all the people in the Kanto-Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami.

They have kindly arranged to have wrist bands made up and each will cost 500 JPY with 100% of the proceeds being donated to the releif effort. I have 300 on route to me for Japan.

If we can sell all of them then we will raise 1500 USD.

Please let me know if you are interested in these!
 
Guys,

I've been working with Eperformance to raise money and awareness of the releif effort and plight of all the people in the Kanto-Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami.

They have kindly arranged to have wrist bands made up and each will cost 500 JPY with 100% of the proceeds being donated to the releif effort. I have 300 on route to me for Japan.

If we can sell all of them then we will raise 1500 USD.

Please let me know if you are interested in these!

I am definitely interested! Please put me down to buy one and I would love to help you sell the others!
 
Vote for names...

Guys,
I've been working with Eperformance to raise money and awareness of the releif effort and plight of all the people in the Kanto-Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami.
They have kindly arranged to have wrist bands made up and each will cost 500 JPY with 100% of the proceeds being donated to the releif effort. I have 300 on route to me for Japan.
If we can sell all of them then we will raise 1500 USD.
Please let me know if you are interested in these!

"WAVESTRONG"!
Pun intended, of course!
Both a wordplay on Lance's "Livestrong", and a very accurate description of the reason everyone is trying to raise money.
Bad taste? Nah! Maybe... Just a little bit ...:eek:uch:
 
I've got several LiveSTRONG bracelets if anyone needs one, as I'm a survivor :D
 
So I am in the middle of making a website for the charity ride as well as other volunteer things I'm working ok. If you like I can put in a little section about the wrist bands on the site if you want me to. Does Eperformance have a picture of it that I could use?

Also could someone look at the route I posted earlier and give me some feedback about it? Most of you are much more experienced than me in riding in the Chiba area as well as doing such long rides and events. I'm sorry if I am being a little pushy but I would like to get the event organized and ready for late next month. Thanks for all the help! Cheers
 
Eric, I will have pictures soon.

Once I have all the info I will post it up here.
 
Thank you!!
 
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