By Daily Press staff
The Santa Monica Farmer’s Market Victims Assistance Fund has received pledges and donations of more than $60,000.
The Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, which set up the fund, thanks the many area businesses who have stepped up to donate money, including US Bank ($10,000), Wells Fargo ($10,000), Bank of America ($10,000), First Federal Bank of California ($10,000), Alschuler, Grossman, Stein and Kahan ($5,000), Shutters on the Beach ($1,500), Hotel Casa Del Mar ($1,500), Harding, Larmore, Kutcher & Kozal ($1,000) and Bubar’s Jewelers ($1,000).
Saint Anne's Church has raised more than $1,000 and Calvary Baptist Church donated $500. In addition, the chamber received more than $2,700 in donations at the Saturday memorial for the tragedy and another $3,000-plus has been received at the chamber, or over the Internet.
The $60,000 raised so far does not include checks sent directly to U.S. Bank’s P.O. Box.
The fund will donate 100 percent of the proceeds to the families of the deceased and to those injured in the tragedy. The chamber is able to do this because of donations from area businesses including US Bank who donated all bank and credit card fees; Harding, Larmore, Kutcher & Kozal who donated legal work; Edward Thomas Companies who donated use of their PR firm so the chamber could inform the public about the fund, Rubin Postaer who designed and produced more than 20,000 fliers, Superfast Copy who produced the poster and Tommy Dew Design who did some fast Web site work.
For more information, log on to www.smchamber.com, or call (310) 393- 9825. Anyone who needs grief counseling should call 1-800-854-7771. To give blood, call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 23, 2003. Read the original PDF.