By Melyssa Allen

Following the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, Meredith College established "A Tide of Hope," a tsunami relief effort to support Sri Lanka's efforts to rebuild.

Since the effort began in January 2005, more than $100,000 has been raised. "Tide of Hope" committee chair Sam Carothers said the committee set the initial goal of raising $25,000, and he has been pleasantly surprised that Meredith has surpassed it.

"I was the one who was unsure that we'd make it. I lost sleep over that amount," Carothers said. "I asked the committee, 'Are you sure we can raise that?'"

The "Tide of Hope" effort was inspired by Professor of English and Director of International Studies Betty Webb and her husband, John Rose, who were in Sri Lanka at the time of the tsunami.

"Betty and John have had this passion for Sri Lanka that they have shared with us," Carothers said. "They carry the faces of these people in their hearts."

A little more than $5,000 was donated to Save the Children's tsunami relief efforts. The additional funds have been designated to support three projects—purchasing fishing boats for two communities in Galle, sponsoring children at the Samanala orphanage and providing supplies for the Pelena School.

Some members of the "Tide of Hope" committee, including Carothers, traveled to Sri Lanka in December 2005.

"To meet these people who had just been names [to me] was very moving," Carothers said. "These are real people struggling to do the right thing to help their country recover."

The committee is continuing its work in 2006-07. Their goals are the following:

• Continue to focus attention on the needs in Sri Lanka;
• Encourage the College to build on the existing relationships that have been developed there;
• Maintain support of the Samanala Orphanage through 2007;
• Maintain work with the Pelena School for two or more academic years;
• Secure travel assistance for students interested in traveling to Sri Lanka;
• Consider a repeat of the December 2005 trip to Sri Lanka; and
• Develop funding initiatives for these goals.

For more, visit www.meredith.edu/tsunamirelief/.