Around Town … with Robert Airoldi: Native Tongan helping island nation reeling after being hit by tsunami

Saulala plans to send several shipping containers to Tonga but needs help with supplies.

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By Robert Airoldi

Morgan Hill resident, Rugby Hall of Famer, and native Tongan Alatini Saulala, is raising money to help those in his home country impacted by the underwater volcano Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai that erupted Jan. 15, covering the 170 islands of Tonga with volcanic ash and contaminating the water supply.

His good friend Elizabeth Kracht told us the tsunami generated from the eruption killed at least three and has destroyed countless homes, leaving many people to sleep under makeshift structures. Of the 110,000 people living in Tonga, 37 percent are children.

He has constructed boxes to send in shipping containers. He is filling each box with building supplies, water, simple foods and other essential supplies. Each box costs about $4,000 to construct, fill, and send, and he plans to continue to make, fill, and send them.

“They need water first, food second, and they only have the clothing they were wearing when the tsunami hit,” he said.

Saulala plans to send several shipping containers to Tonga but needs help with supplies. Because communication with the island(s) is still down, he is sending what he thinks is most important. As communication comes online, he will be able to fine tune what he sends.

The volcano eruption damaged an underwater fiber optic cable, making it impossible for loved ones living abroad to communicate with friends and family in Tonga (this was still the case as of Jan. 28). In addition, in an effort to keep COVID-19 from the islands, there are restrictions on who can enter the Kingdom of Tonga.

In the fall of 2021, Saulala was inducted into the Rugby Hall of Fame for his illustrious career playing rugby for both Tonga and the United States. His peers have named him “the gentle giant.”

Saulala said any money donated is going directly to helping the Tongan people, not to administration costs. This is a “direct to people” campaign.

The city of Gilroy is open and ready for business and is launching a new promotional campaign to get the word out. The new “Why Gilroy” campaign focuses on the benefits of doing business in Gilroy.

Topics for the campaign will include small business, recreational activities, educational opportunities, AgTech, the Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail, and opportunities for business development and growth.

“We are excited about the opportunity to share just a few of the great things Gilroy has to offer to those looking to do business in the Bay Area.,” said Mayor Marie Blankley. “If you’re considering opening, growing, or relocating your business, consider Gilroy. We may have just what you’re looking for.”

The promotional campaign launched in January in partnership with Visit Gilroy, the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce, and the Gilroy Economic Development Corporation to promote the benefits of doing business in Gilroy.

“Our year-long effort promoting Gilroy as a place to do business will no doubt capture the attention of those throughout Silicon Valley and help them see what Gilroy has to offer,” said Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Mark Turner.

The one to two-page promotional pieces will run in the Silicon Valley Business Journal every third week of each month’s publication through December. To learn more about doing business in Gilroy visit www.gilroyedc.org or call (408) 842-6437.

The Gilroy Arts Alliance will celebrate February with the 8th Annual Black History Month Art Exhibit, themed, “Celebrating Black Artists from Around the World: Past and Present.”

The African/African American Artists are trailblazers who persevered, overcame barriers, created lasting legacies and are continually making important strides in our nation’s history.

An artist included in the exhibit is the first African American artist to gain international fame, Henry Ossawa Tanner. Also featured are artist Jean-Michel Basquait, photographer James Van Der Zee, sculptor Agusta Ottis Landsberg, and Nigerian artist Moyo Okediji, to name just a few.

The exhibit is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday-Friday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at 7341 Monterey St.