Even before the launch of the fund raising campaign, phone calls, emails and text messages overwhelmed volunteers at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara on Scott Road, near 70 Avenue.
All day long a steady flow of Sikhs from all walks of life and all ages, flowed through the Scot Road Gurdwara, donating to this cause. A planned Radio-thon on local South Asian Radio Stations, Red FM and Shere Punjab was started a day earlier and put in half a day of on the air collections.
The end result of the first day of effort, was approximately $100,000 in donations being pledged. As the community gears up for day two of the fundraising event, many volunteers have taken vacation time off work, to come volunteer at the Gurdwara Sahib and the local Radio stations, collecting donations.
"The local Sikh community has always shown its support for humanitarian relief efforts, in any part of the world," according to Gurdwara president Bikramjit Singh Sandhar. "No matter what our background, where we live, we're all equal and each and every one of us should do their utmost to help a fellow human being."
Abbotsford’s Sikh community also made donations during a 15 hour radio-thon that took place on Friday on Red FM and Shere Punjab.
Red FM president Kulwinder Sanghera told CTV News he has been amazed by the generosity of his listeners who donated more than $400,000 for earthquake victims.
One donor included an eight-year-old girl who donated her piggy bank and a working senior couple who gave their wages to the relief effort.
Another Surrey radio station, Radio India, has reportedly raised $500,000.
Jatana said funds will likely continue to pour in until the end of the campaign on Jan. 31, and those making donations can get a charitable receipt.
Donations to the campaign can be made through the Gurdwara Sahib website at www.gurunanakgurdwara.ca or email [email protected].