Dodge a ball for tsunami relief

Events of misfortune and tragedy sometimes unite people to play
dodgeball ““ at least that is the hope of about 11 different
campus student organizations that have joined efforts to raise
money for tsunami victims through a grade-school pastime.

These groups have formed an alliance in the hopes of raising
$10,000 for tsunami relief. Organizations involved include the
Vietnamese Student Union, Inter Fraternity Council, UNICEF and the
Undergraduate Students Association Council. The alliance has been
named the Tsunami Relief Coalition.

Thus far, the California Public Interest Research Group, a
student advocacy group, has raised more than $1,400 by tabling on
Bruin Walk.

Jenny Wood, USAC general representative, said they plan to
donate the money raised to Oxfam, a non-profit organization that
consists of organizations working together in more than 100
countries to find solutions to poverty, suffering and
injustice.

Aliyah Haq, CALPIRG’s campus organizer, said, “We
want this event to be huge. We plan to have KROQ DJ the entire
event as well as having the television show Extreme Dodgeball host
our game.”

Leaders of the participating groups expect to have 64 teams with
six people on each team and as many as 500 spectators. The cost to
register is $100 and tickets to attend the event are planned to
cost $5.

Tickets will be sold in the central ticket office through
Friday. Tickets will also be available on-site.

Jamie Nuwer, team captain for the Bruin Ladies Ultimate Frisbee
group, was the first to register her team for the game.

“Two of the girls from our team have immediate family in
India so it definitely personally affected all of us, we just
weren’t sure exactly how to help out. By participating in
this dodgeball tournament, we can help out a great cause and have
fun in the process,” Nuwer said.

While tabling along Bruin Walk will continue, the coalition is
hoping to make $8,000 alone from the dodgeball tournament to help
them reach their donation goal.

The budget for the event and all the publicity is projected at
roughly $1,900, which means that the coalition will have to find
other ways to reach the net goal of $10,000.

“We are having collection stations in campus facilities,
like some eateries, so that students have more access to helping
those victims affected by the tsunami,” Wood said.

The online registration deadline to participate as a team in the
dodgeball tournament is Thursday, Feb. 3. Students also have the
opportunity to register on-site on Friday.

The tournament is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 4 in Collins
Court. For more information, visit
www.studentgroups.ucla.edu/tsunamiaid.

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