HONOLULU - Prior to last Saturday's UH-Fresno State football game, student-athletes from the baseball, softball, and men's and women's basketball teams collected $9,000 in donations for “Operation Uplift,” which supports the American Red Cross' disaster relief efforts in the Pacific Region. The student-athletes positioned themselves at the various Aloha Stadium gates and UH fans generously donated cash and coins as they entered the facility.

 

“Operation Uplift” is part of a statewide campaign to help support the relief efforts in the Pacific region. Numerous players on the UH football team, have ties to America Samoa.

Major General Robert Lee, the State's adjutant general and director of State Civil Defense, led an effort to get Oceanic Time Warner Cable to have a special video feed of the UH-Fresno State telecast available throughout American Samoa.

 

 “This is a difficult time for the UH Warrior players who have family in American Samoa, so it's heartwarming that their fellow student-athletes and the Hawai'i community are pulling together to help in the recovery effort,” said Governor Linda Lingle. “The people of Hawai'i have continued to generously open their hearts in responding to recent tragic events that have devastated our neighbors in the Samoas, the Philippines, Indonesia and other parts of the Asia-Pacific region.”

 

“We are very grateful to the University of Hawai'i Athletics Department for giving football fans an opportunity to express their generosity and compassion in this time of great tragedy,” said Coralie Chun Matayoshi, CEO, American Red Cross, Hawai'i State Chapter. “Funds raised will help us save lives and give hope to those in need. We cannot thank UH enough for their wonderful contribution to the cause of humanity.”