Commissioner Dave Neilson from the MIAA announced that $4,337 has been donated to help tsunami victoms

The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA), on behalf of its member institutions, has donated the net proceeds of its winter championship meets and tournaments to a church working with an international agency on tsunami relief in Indonesia.

Commissioner Dave Neilson announced that $4,337 has been donated to the New Hope Church in Chapel Hill, N.C. to support their volunteer efforts through Professionals International, an international faith-based organization.

"The members of our conference donate this in Christian spirit for the work being doing done, and pray for the victims and relief workers dealing with the tsunami tragedy," said Neilson.

The MIAA contributions came from the net proceeds of admission charges to its men's and women's swimming/diving championships and men's and women's basketball tournaments as well as contributions received from spectators attending the events.

Support of the work of New Hope Church was stimulated by Andrew and Shanna Ten Clay Norden, graduates of Hope College. Shanna is currently a resident anesthesiologist at Duke University Medical Center and Andrew is an assistant
athletic trainer at Duke University. Shanna recently joined a group of
volunteers from New Hope Church in providing aid in Banda Aceh, Indonesia.
Their efforts were coordinated by Professionals International.

In Indonesia, Professionals International is supporting the reconstruction of more than 2,000 homes in 14 villages in Banda Aceh and helping meet medical needs such as infectious disease control, follow-up care of traumatic injuries, pre and post-natal care and treatment of respiratory distress that resulted from airborn silt. Engineers among the volunteers are redesigning water and waste removal systems. Another group of volunteers plans to return this summer.

The member colleges of the MIAA include Adrian, Albion, Alma, Calvin, Hope, Kalamazoo, Olivet, Saint Mary's, Tri-State and Wisconsin Lutheran.