Many of our musical friends from Burlington are getting together this Friday, March 18th, for a benefit show for Japan. The show is at the Parima Thai Restaurant and has been organized by Aya Inoue. Many of you may remember Aya from her days with "The Leaves" and the more recent "Amida Bourbon Project".  The disaster in Japan hits very close to home for folks like Aya with Japanese heritage and strong ties to the country.

In the true spirit of "Think Globally, Act Locally" I encourage you to attend the show or drop a donation to the cause via the ChipIn Widget below or by visiting the <a href="http://burlingtonaidtojapan.chipin.com/2011-japan-earthquaketsunami-victims">ChipIn site.</a> All proceeds will benefit <a href="http://peacewindsamerica.org/support/">Peace Winds America</a>.

<embed allowScriptAccess="always" src="http://www.chipin.com/widget/id/9a99d4e07bd197e3" flashVars="chipin_server=www%2Echipin%2Ecom" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="350" height="350"></embed>

<strong>Today's email from Aya</strong>

Hi everybody...

I hope this email finds everybody safe and healthy and in good spirits... it has been a difficult week for me as I have felt extremely helpless watching my country go through such distress and turmoil.  I keep wanting to turn off the television because it is so painful to watch, yet I cannot sleep because I need to know what is going to happen.  I find myself scared to fall asleep, for fear of waking up to find out something bad has happend... again...  I hate to sound so doom and gloom about this all, but this is really how it has felt the past week.  It has been a feeling that is hard to describe.  The poor people in Tohoku (north) who have lost their lives, their families, their children, their parents... my own family and childhood friends who are now scared to sleep because of the aftershocks.  My father has informed me that local grocery stores have closed due to a shortage of food, and I get photo updates from friends showing a Tokyo that is blanketed in darkness from a scheduled blackout.  Through these, my family and friends lay awake through aftershocks, and await the latest news from the accident at the nuclear power plant.  

<strong>Grace and Aya back in 2008</strong>

<a href="http://www.thisissomewhere.com/images/waterfront/ayagraceone.jpg"><img src="http://www.thisissomewhere.com/images/waterfront/ayagraceone.jpg" class="alignnone frame size-full" width="438" alt="Grace and Aya" /></a>

<!--more-->

I have felt helpless and powerless from Vermont... to say the least.  But I have decided to channel my anxiety and fear into something productive.  My sister and I have researched different organizations and have decided to raise money for a NGO which we feel will place money where it really needs to go right now. The local office in Japan is located about ten minutes from our home in Tokyo, making it a true local donation for us.  The organization is called Trade Winds Japan, partnered through Trade Winds America 
( http://peacewindsamerica.org/support/ )

I will be playing a benefit concert this Friday, March 18th at Parima Thai Restaurant, with a group of wonderful Burlington artists who have volunteered their time and talent for the cause.  We will be asking a $15 minimum donation for this event.  I have had such a wonderful response from folks who have said they would like to contribute but are unable to attend the event.  As a result of this, my sister and I have created a "Chip In" Widget to help boost our fundraiser beyond Burlington, and to network our resources and ask for help to you all.  Through social networking and word of mouth, our goal is to raise at least $4000 by the end of March for our friends, family, and neighbors in Japan.  

I appreciate any donation you can give, but even if you can't donate, if you could pass this on to even one person... that would mean the entire world to me.  Thank you so much to everyone for reading this and here's to hoping to a fast recovery for Japan. Here is the link to the Chip In:
<a href=" http://burlingtonaidtojapan.chipin.com/2011-japan-earthquaketsunami-victims">
http://burlingtonaidtojapan.chipin.com/2011-japan-earthquaketsunami-victims</a>


Truly,
Aya