Press Release

Patterson Writes $5,000 Check from Casual Day Fund to Chinese Earthquake Relief Effort

Pontiac, MI, June 3, 2008 Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson has donated $5,000 from the County employees weekly Casual Day Fund to the Michigan Chinese Sichuan Earthquake Relief Fund to assist victims affected by the tragedy.  Official figures (as of    June 3, 2008) state that 69,107 are confirmed dead, including 68,509 in Sichuan province, with 373,577 injured, another 18,230 listed as missing and some 4.8 million left homeless.

On behalf of my employees, who contribute weekly to the Casual Day Fund, I am extremely honored to have the opportunity to offer this assistance in the hope that it will, in some small way, help provide relief and comfort for those impacted by this horrific disaster, Patterson said. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of China at this very difficult time.

Since Patterson started the Casual Day Program in 1993, more than a half-million dollars have been collected and distributed to local charities during the December holidays.  But a number of other Casual Days are held throughout the year for special needs like the earthquake in Chinas Sichuan Province. 

In the past, county employees have donated to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, the Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund, Operation USO Care Package for the troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, Save the Children Tsunami Relief Effort in Southeast Asia and the Salvation Army Operation Noahs Ark to help victims of flooding in the Mississippi Valley.  Special Casual Days have also been held for numerous county employees or members of their family who have encountered extreme health or other unusually difficult life challenges.

Brooks and the Oakland County employees show that love and compassion can cross the ocean and help the people of China, said Tom Watkins, former State School Superintendent and business and education consultant in the U.S. and China. Brooks once again is building bridges on a human level. The Chinese-American and Chinese people are most grateful for his compassion and generous donation to help relieve the suffering.  Watkins also noted that Oakland County and southeast Michigan are home to thousands of Chinese Americans whose families have been impacted by this tragedy.

The Michigan Chinese Sichuan Earthquake Relief working committee has collected more than $300,000 so far to assist victims of this tragedy. If youd like to donate, please make your check payable to MCF/Sichuan Earthquake Relief Fund, P.O. Box 1343, Troy, MI 48099.

Online donations can be made to the Michigan Chinese Foundation at http://CAGD.org/sichuan/ or to the American Red Cross at www.RedCross.org.

For media inquiries only, please contact Bob Dustman, Media and Communications Officer, at (248) 858-1048.
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