Cupcakes and face painting featured in the remembrance of the 5th anniversary of the September 29, 2009 tsunami at the American Samoa Community College.
At the front entrance to ASC on Tuesday, Student Foundation Association members gave students and faculty the opportunity to sign a placard commemorating the tragic event of 2009, while also celebrating American Samoa’s resilient spirit by distributing hundreds of homemade cupcakes and offering free face and body paintings of hearts in the color purple.
Why purple? Association member Rinna Vollrath says this is “the color of hope.”
Ms. Tiare Tupua, former Administrative Assistant with the American Samoa College Research Foundation (ASCRF) said “We want our students to know that even though this was a tragic event we all can join together to get through anything.
Now in its third semester the Student foundation Association assists the College Research foundation in its mission by promoting ASCC’s programs and services while working directly with all students.
The club members act as ambassadors of the Foundation and work with their fellow students to create opportunities such as transferring off-island and helping students find resources to meet their needs.”
While the free cupcakes and face paintings served as an incentive to attract student attention, Tupua and several of the Association members explained that the underlying idea of the Tsunami Remembrance was the importance of community spirit..”
Anna Iosefo, who serves as the Association Secretary, said the community should remember the 2009 tsunami because it was a tragic event for us–and we can learn from it.
“Although we cannot prevent tsunamis from occurring, we can limit the amount of damage they inflict by being better prepared.”
While the Foundation Association had not intended the Tsunami Remembrance as a fundraising event, they did have a small donation jar which, to their surprise, garnered enough contributions for them to make a modest donation to the local Red Cross.
