Tennis And Soccer Unite For A Good Cause In Miami
COCONUT GROVE (CBS4) - A tennis star-studded event held at Ransom Everglades School had some of the world's top tennis players playing on the same team to raise money for the disaster in Japan.
But CBS4 News found out that compared to other disasters, people around the world just aren't giving much to Japan.
Number two ranked tennis player Novak Djokovich traded in the tennis racquet for a pair of cleats to raise money to help the people of Japan.
"I felt very sorry for the people who went through this because I went through something similar. I went through tough times- wars in my country," he told CBS4's Natalia Zea.
He and other tennis greats played a soccer match with pro team the Fort Lauderdale Strikers to bring money into the Red Cross.
"All the pictures that we've seen are devastating and we can never do enough," said Djokovich.
The international community has given the Red Cross $89 million to help. That may sounds like a lot, but it's not compared to the response to other natural disasters like the earthquake in Haiti. Haiti received an additional 400 million dollars in Red Cross aid.
Red cross spokeswoman Cynthia Gutierrez says many folks aren't donating to Japan because it is a strong country with a powerful Red Cross.
"The Japanese Red Cross is a formidable group, they have been around for hundreds of years and they know what they're doing," she told Zea.
Also, Japan hasn't officially asked for help though Gutierrez says the charities there need it.
"In the wake of three disasters, the earthquake the tsunami and now the evolving nuclear emergency, yes it would be safe to say they need the help."
Another country chose not to ask for international aid after 2 major disasters. The United States. But Japan came through anyway, donating $17 million after September 11th, and 12 million after Hurricane Katrina.
If you'd like to donate you can text RED CROSS to 90999
Links to local fundraisers for Japan:
www.southfloridaredcross.org/events
