Wake up, get coffee, go to work. Arguably, many Americans live their lives by routine from caffeine intake to getting an oil change, but a simple morning cup can do more than get you going: It can aid local businesses raising money for the tsunami relief effort.
Many Austin businesses, though economically unaffected by the Dec. 26 disaster, depend on Southeast Asia for supplies to run their businesses. Mozart's Coffee Roasters for example uses coffee from Sumatra and tea from Sri Lanka, two nations that the tsunami hit the hardest.
"We really rely on that part of the world for their particular blend and style of product. It's what makes our company unique," Mozart's general manager Jack Ranstrom said.
Mozart's executives launched a one-month event hoping to raise $5,000 for the International Red Cross Tsunami Relief Fund by selling their Sumatra blend coffee for $9.99 per pound.
"I felt bad because the tsunami had virtually no impact on me, and I use that very tea and coffee; so much of it makes my living," Ranstrom said.
Instead of importing directly, Mozart's buys tea from a local company, Walters Bay & Co., which grows tea on the Bogawan- talawa tea estate in Sri Lanka.
One hundred miles away from where the tsunami hit, the Bogawantalawa tea estate and the 17,000 workers who live on the estate were unharmed by the waves.
"Our business operations were unaffected, but with the direct ties we have in that area, we couldn't just stand by and not do anything," said John Cullicott, manager at Walters Bay.
Executives of Walters Bay asked themselves, "What is the best way we can have a direct impact on what happened?"
Walters Bay's response was to found a volunteer-run charity organization called Aid Lanka Kids aimed at helping disabled orphans in that area.
"Immediate relief organizations such as Red Cross and Care USA are great, but they provide short-term attention, and orphans still won't have parents after the Red Cross leaves, so we want to come in on the back end of that," Cullicott said.
Aid Lanka Kids plans to build orphanages in Sri Lanka to create a long-term solution to caring for the many children orphaned by the tsunami.
By providing child care in Sri Lanka rather than attempting to bring children here, Aid Lanka Kids is in line with the State Department's recent statement that citizens of the United States will not be allowed to adopt children from the areas affected by the tsunami because there may still be a chance that the orphans' family members survived. Sri Lankan and Indonesian officials also said that foreign adoption of tsunami victims is illegal due to the increasing prevalence of illegal trafficking of children under the age of 16.
Cities such as Medan have gained reputations as headquarters where children are sold into servitude or exploited sexually, according to The Associated Press. The first official case of child trafficking after the tsunami was on Jan. 10 with the arrest of A.H. Somadasa who tried to sell his two granddaughters from a relief camp in Batapola.
Aid Lanka Kids hopes to raise $200,000 to build its first orphanage, which is expected to get up and running in less than 90 days.
After the initial money is raised, Aid Lanka Kids will begin the building project, which is expected to run smoothly, since the import-export business of Walters Bay makes it simple to get supplies.
Across town from Walters Bay, Austin motorists lined up to get oil and filter changes at Revolution Motors Ltd. on Jan. 15. Alhough Revolution Motors did not feel the economic effect from the tsunami, founders Patrick and Carol Whale experienced the personal impact firsthand.
The Whales knew something was wrong when they woke up at 2 a.m. to the rings of a long-distance telephone call from their sons Patou, 23, and Nick, 16, who were in Phuket studying and working.
"They called me four hours after it had happened, before it was on the news, and I knew I had to be strong for them or else they would fall to pieces," Carol said.
Patou and Nick were staying in an apartment with their uncle above a store when Patou woke up to the sound of crashing waves and screams outside his window.
"My mind was so clear for this whole period. I made decisions without hesitation, thinking only of saving my brother and myself from the threat of further waves," Patou wrote in his firsthand account of the tsunami posted on the Revolution Motors Web site.
The Whales are grateful that their family members survived the tsunami and offered oil and filter changes last Saturday to raise money for the families who were not as fortunate.
Revolution Motors opened Saturday with donated filters and the volunteered time of all technicians, mechanics and office staff. Motorists also had the opportunity to get a voucher for an oil change if they did not have time to leave their car. The money raised went to the AmeriCare charity organization.
Aside from giving a routine oil changes, Revolution Motors provided live music featuring Poor Man's Fortune, Paris '49, Brouree Texane and The Faux Paws, along with food, making the fund-raiser a community event.
"It's important for us to get people out here to celebrate and raise awareness at the same time," Carol said.
Tsunami aid
Here's how you can get involved with the relief effort:
Aid Lanka Kids
*100% of donations goes directly to the relief.
AmeriCares
1-800-486-HELP(4357)
Direct Relief International
www.directreliefinternational.org
* Less than one percent of donations goes toward administrative expenses .
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