Notes from the Newsroom NewsOK.com Blogging Community

Xifan Liu travels to China every year to see his parents and his wife’s parents in his hometown of Beijing.

I interviewed Liu on Friday for a future story, and wanted to know how he was affected by this week’s devastating earthquake in the Chengdu area.

He doesn’t know anyone who was in the earthquake, but has been through Chengdu twice on his way to Taiwan.

“The earthquake is something we certainly followed closely,” Liu told me. “The most important thing is to donate.”

Liu said he made a contribution through the Society of Chinese Students and Scholars at the University of
Oklahoma, which is collecting donations to help survivors.

The organization set up an account at Midfirst Bank in Norman, 315 W Boyd St. The bank’s phone number is 943-8002.

Students have also set up booths and boxes on the Norman campus, and plan to set up others this weekend at local Target and Wal-Mart locations, said Sharon Gou, director of the Confucius Institute.

The group has raised more than $6,500 so far. It also recommends donating directly to the Hong Kong Red Cross at www.redcross.org.hk.

Besides encouraging others to offer their help, Liu told me it is important for people here and in China to establish a mutual understanding.

“I realize on today’s newspaper on the cover page, it’s mentioned, the earthquake,” he said of The Oklahoman’s Friday paper.

“That showed local media in Oklahoma pay attention to what’s happening on the other part of the world, and that’s great.”

Wendy K. Kleinman
Staff Writer