Alyssa Virtue, a 14-year-old former Magnolia resident, says she wants to raise enough money so she can join her best friend in helping with tsunami relief efforts in Sri Lanka - in person.
Alyssa's best friend is Robin, a Roosevelt High School classmate and the daughter of Queen Anne residents Adam and Janet Salmon. The Salmons run Asiana Education Development (AED), a nonprofit group that was founded in 1998 and runs 71 schools and one residence for orphans in war-torn Sri Lanka.
But the AED educational mission changed to disaster relief as a non-governmental organization following the Dec. 26 tsunami that devastated the island south of India. The Salmons were not available for comment, but a blog Adam Salmon has written at www.asianaeducationdevelopment.org paints a picture of a near-apocalyptic disaster worsened by bad roads, governmental squabbling and suspicious Tamil rebels.
"And since the tsunami, it was like, 'You should come with us,'" Alyssa quoted Robin as saying. Helping orphans appealed to Alyssa. "I have always loved kids, forever," she said, adding it would be wonderful to help the Sri Lankan youngsters.
Alyssa's mom, Cheri Mayer, said she was a little skeptical when Alyssa came home one day with a letter she'd written to raise money for the trip. An assistant physical therapist at Virginia Mason Hospital, Cheri finally came around, though, and now she plans to fly with her daughter to the Asian country this summer to lend a hand herself.
"There's a medical clinic they're setting up," she said. "Hopefully, with my medical background, I can help." Cherie added that she hopes to convince Virginia Mason to donate walkers and wheelchairs to the effort. "I know the first priority is building housing for the handicapped," she explained.
Alyssa's stepdad, Gene Mayers, is staying behind with the family's three dogs, but the owner of the 34th Street Garage in Magnolia Village said he's donating to his stepdaughter's cause by pledging to give free oil changes, tire rotations and vehicle inspections to anyone who donates $75 to the effort. It's a $65 value, added Gene in the family's Maple Leaf home.
"Of course, hopefully they'll donate more than $75." Even closer to his heart, Gene said he's been giving up his Harley fund, a change-jar account normally used to buy accessories for the classic motorcycle he owns.
The 34th Street Garage is not the only neighborhood connection to the AED. The Magnolia-based Moyer Foundation has already raised $100,000 for the organization, and the foundation is also selling $2 plastic bracelets at Bartell and other Seattle retail stores to help the Sri Lankan orphans, according to the AED blog.
Flying from Seattle to Sri Lanka is not a cheap proposition. Alyssa estimates she needs $2,500 for expenses, $1,800 of which is just for airfare, she wrote in her fundraising letter. "We don't want to be a burden," Cheri explained, "because they're trying to raise funds [for the relief effort]."
Gene figures the two will need between $3,000 and $3,500 apiece just to be on the safe side, and he said he'd make up the difference if Alyssa's fundraising efforts come up short. "Something of this magnitude of life experience is worth it," Gene said. "Aside from Alyssa gaining experience, my wife will get her eyes opened to a few things as well."
Cheri will stay in Sri Lanka for only a couple of weeks this summer, said Alyssa, adding that she herself hopes to stay for about a month. "I'm going to teach orphans English and probably just regular school stuff ... and just play with them and give them love," Alyssa said.
Alyssa said she's sent the fundrais-ing letter to all her relatives and will tap into her savings account if necessary. "We're definitely going to be doing car washes around Queen Anne and Magnolia," she added.
Cheri said that donations for her daughter can be sent in Alyssa's name to the AED at 1930 Sixth Ave. W., Seattle, WA 98119. Or, Gene said, donations for Alyssa can be dropped off at his garage in Magnolia Village.
Staff reporter Russ Zabel can be reached at rzabel@nwlink.com or 461-1309.
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