Press Release Regarding Tsunami Disaster

For Immediate Release:

St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Committee Creates Indonesia Relief Fund

Indonesian Island of Sumatra Hard Hit by Tsunami Disaster

January 2, 2005, St. Louis, Missouri ... The St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Committee has organized a relief effort for Indonesian victims of the tsunami disaster that to date has killed more than 85,000 people in Indonesia. Much of Indonesia’s island of Sumatra was devastated after a 9.0-magnitude earthquake erupted about 95 miles off the coastline, triggering a tidal wave that ripped across the Indian Ocean to Africa. The tsunami struck Sumatra the hardest of 12 nations affected by the disaster. Millions of Indonesians lack clean water and basic supplies. Authorities anticipate greater human loss with the potential spread of cholera and other diseases.

Joe Passanise, President, St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Committee, said, "We appeal to compassionate St. Louis citizens and companies to make a tax-deductible financial contribution of any size to this relief effort." Tax-deductible donations to the "St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities/Indonesian Tsunami Relief Fund" should be mailed to Southwest Bank, 700 Corporate Park Drive, Clayton, MO 63105.

The St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities Committee initiated the relief effort with help from several organizations, including the Indonesian Consulate’s office; Permias – the Indonesian Student Association of St. Louis; PLN, the Indonesian Electric Power Company; the St. Louis Center for International Relations; and World Trade Center-Saint Louis.

St. Louis County and Bogor officially established a Sister Cities relationship last May to promote business, cultural and educational exchange. Bogor is a city of 700,000 near the Indonesian capital city of Jakarta. The non-profit St. Louis Center for International Relations (www.slcir.org) coordinates 14 sister cities programs in St. Louis City and County.

For more information about the "St. Louis-Bogor Sister Cities/Indonesian Tsunami Relief Fund," contact Joe Passanise at 314-616-4216 or jpassanise@yahoo.com.