The press has been reporting that a lot of corporations have been making donations to help the Asian tsunami victims. I was wondering if anyone knows if any of the Class 1 railroads have made donations. The railroads have generated a lot of revenue transporting Asian goods across the country in recent years. It would be nice to know if they have lined up with other corporate donors to help out in this disaster.
csx had a notice out that they will match dollor for dollor any donations made by emplyees… i didnt give a penny… the pres of the US gave my donation for me…even though i dont want a penny of my money going over thier…
csx engineer
Thanks for the info you sound like a very charitable fellow.
its not that im not charitable…its that i feel that you should take care of your own befor you try to take care of the rest of the world… it is a sad thing …but you didnt see the rest of the world rushing to our aid with money and help after 4 hurricanes leveled florida… you dont see the rest of the world sending money and aid after any of the california earthquakes floods fires and mudslides… granted they are a bit smaller in the scale of loss of life then the tsunami… but loss of life and proporty none the less… besides… money that is sent over thier will end up in the truesurys of the goverments of the nations and little if any will actuly go to the people in need… the thing they didnt need was money from the get go…what they needed and still need is food water and medicen…which i have no problem with giveing a little of…but we as US citizens should be looking to take care of the problems here at home befor we start to look on takeing on the problems of the rest of the world…
csx engineer
Much of what you say is true enough. However, a wealthy country like the US is able to rebound from natural disasters much better than third world countries such as those affected by the Tsunami. If it was Japan that had been hit, the need for aid would much, much less.
Also, remember that after 9/11 a lot of countries did come to aid the US in one way or another. For example, many firefighters came to New York from Canada to help out in the immediate aftermath.
Finally, it is not just Americans who are digging deep into their pockets to help. Besides the incredible amount of government aid coming in from countries around the world; as of last week total individual donations in Germany were the highest in the world; Canadians were lined up in Red Cross office waiting to donate money; even in China penshioners were making donations… So it is certainly not just Americans helping out.
But sorry, this is off topic. I was just curious if railroads were keeping up with other large corporations in terms of donations.
Canada is actually donating over 400 million from the government. Private donations are dramatically increasing too. 2000 of our doctors are to go over there from what I have heard.
I think right now their biggest problem is that we are not donating heavy equipment to remove the debris. If the railroads aren’t planning to use some of their MOW equipment that is road compatible, it would be a nice thing to donate it to them. They might even get a tax deduction too if they really care about that.
UP is also matching employee donations dollar-for-dollar, giving a choice of five organizations to contribute to (American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Save The Children, etc.).
the ns is doing the same thing .
The Florida hurricanes and foreign aid- sorry to correct, but teams of Canadian military engineers rebuilt schools and daycares in Florida after Andrew. Canadians sent emergency medical aid too, plus stuff for children. We may not do it again though - the complaints from greedy local Florida contractors and merchants about how the Canadian emergency aid was “cutting into their business” and that a newly rebuilt school might not be up to US standards have cheesed off a lot of folks up here. The impression left by these protests that our help is not wanted in Florida again…
And since so many others are really happy to have our help, well, you go where you’re needed AND wanted.
Jim
What the US is donating for the disaster relief is an amount equal to what the US is spending for 42 HOURS of the Iraq war.
Further to jjjJkeaton’s note re Ontario helping Florida.
A large contingent from Ontario went to Florida to repaid hydro lines. In their spare time they noticed a group of minor league baseball players with
no uniforms and very little equipment. They all chipped in and bought enuff uniforms and eqpt. to equip five teams.
About a month age Pres. Bush was in Canada and when in Halifax he finally thanked the Canadian citizens who took into their homes those whose planes were diverted to our airports