Organizers of the Lakeside Victims’ Fund set up to off-set some of the financial difficulties created when family members of nationals were killed in local violence are delighted by Lakesiders’ generosity.
The total collected locally and from donations north of the border through Paypal accounts came to 80,200 pesos.
Families’ needs were vetted by liaisons in the Mexican community. The average handouts were between 5,000 pesos and 11,000 pesos.
Some families had already received help from individuals who knew them. In addition, others had got help from the municipality to cover funeral expenses. All these things were taken into account before the money raised was distributed.
Envelopes containing the money also contained a short letter telling recipients that the gift was from the foreign community because the foreign community cares.
“We got enough money to ease the situation,” said an anonymous member of the collection committee. “We can’t make them whole again, but this money will make their lives a little easier.”The recipients are very grateful for the help. According to the committee, all the families would have struggled with the costs that have added to their burden of grief.
In addition to the donations, several people have stepped forward to help with the university education of a young man whose brother was killed. His family, of modest means, had managed to come up with the funds for the first year of his schooling but funeral and extended expenses had used that money up.
One person will sponsor the young man’s tuition for the rest of his studies and his transportation and books are being taken care of by other contributors. So far, for this coming year, the donation amounts to 47,400 pesos.
All of the funds collected have been distributed with the exception of 1,250 pesos that will be given to the psychologist as an honorarium when she has finished working with several members of the affected families.
The collection, all completed in just two weeks, is now closed down.
“It was to ease the pain and the financial burden on a one-shot deal,” said a committee member. “We accomplished what we set out to do.”