Jul 23, 2008 5:38 pm US/Central
Workers Return From Quake Relief Effort In China
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
A powerful earthquake earlier this year devastated parts of China. CBS 2's Mike Parker reports that some volunteers from the Chicago area made the trip to help and now they're back home.
As many as 100,000 people may have died in the May earthquake that rumbled across China's Sichuan province. Entire villages were wiped out.
But the Chicago-based Lions Club International Foundation has given the survivors hope.
"I've seen some devastation in my life but never anything like this," said retired suburban New York police detective Al Brandel, who now heads the Lions Club.
He is back in the U.S. after touring the quake zone, where he saw the results of Chinese members of his group who've been working to rebuild schools and villages and people's lives.
The volunteers also plan to provide psychiatric counseling to children who lost everything but their lives.
Paul Fan, a Lions Club officer from Hong Kong, said, "It gives a very important signal to the victims that the rest of the world does really care for them."
The Lions Foundation plans to spend $3 million a quake relief effort that isn't done yet.
"It's going to be a while before our goals are completely taken care of, or achieved. But right now, I think we're well on our way," Brendel said.
They might take heart from an old Chinese proverb: "The man who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones."
If you'd like to take part in the Lions Club quake relief effort, visit
lcif.org
(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Get More From cbs2chicago.com
