Lab employees rally for Chinese earthquake relief
July 3, 2008, Bar Harbor - Employees of The Jackson Laboratory (Jax) worked together to make a gift of nearly $10,000 for relief of victims of the recent disastrous earthquakes in China. A check was presented Monday morning by Lei Wu, a Jax software engineer and an organizer of the fund-raiser, to representatives of the local Pine Tree Chapter of the Red Cross for use by the Red Cross International Disaster Relief Fund.
On May 29, Ms. Wu and her fellow employees from China held an "Authentic Chinese Takeout Dinner" at Jax, serving up homemade dishes to hundreds of their coworkers. Proceeds from the dinner, combined with sale of auction and craft items, brought in a total of $9,550.05.
"We are moved by this gift and pleased to accept it on behalf of the International Disaster Relief Fund," said Patrick Adams, interim executive director of the Pine Tree Chapter. "The Red Cross mission is to help people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies, whether they occur in Maine, the United States, or around the world." Mr. Adams added, "All Red Cross disaster services are provided at no cost to victims, and depend on the generosity of people like the employees of The Jackson Laboratory."
Jax COO Dr. Charles "Chuck" Hewitt praised everyone involved for their dedication and compassion.
Mr. Adams was joined in his appreciation by Hillary Roberts, the Red Cross chapter’s director of emergency services and Ellsworth-based Gretchen O’Grady, assistant director of emergency services.
"The thing that makes me proud is that this was a group effort," Ms. Wu said. "The Chinese community on Mount Desert Island really came together, and almost every family made food for this event. And so many lab people helped us with organizing the dinner " I had never served so many people!"
Although the group had prepared 120 dinners by advance reservation, 180 people showed up. No one went away hungry.
Ms. Wu singled out the lab’s Alice Grindle, who rallied volunteers and set up a bank account for the fund-raiser; and colleagues Xuesong Feng, Jieping Wang and Jingxia Xu; and thanked members of the Bar Harbor community for contributing to the event.
The Jackson Laboratory is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institution and National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center with 1,377 employees in Bar Harbor and Sacramento, Calif.
Contributions to Maine’s local disaster relief fund, the national disaster relief fund (responding now to midwest flooding and California wildfires), and the International Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to the Pine Tree Chapter, 33 Mildred Avenue, Bangor ME 04401 or may be made online at pinetree.redcross.org.
