
Sikh community, Whatcom Community Foundation donate to flood relief efforts
The Whatcom County Sikh community and greater Seattle Sikh business owners raised $75,000 for north Whatcom County flood relief efforts. County Executive Satpal Sidhu, a local Sikh, said Monday that the Whatcom Community Foundation matched the donation with an additional $75,000. Sidhu made an appeal to Sikh Gurdwara (Sikh Temple) and Sikh business owners to help the victims of recent floods in Sumas, Everson, and other areas of Whatcom County. The community not only helped with providing hot meals (langar) during the initial weeks of the floods, but also organized an appeal to local community members to make donations for Whatcom flood relief through Guru Nanak Gursikh Temple in Lynden. Sidhu reached out to greater Seattle Sikh business owners to help with the local efforts. Radio Punjab, an ethnic radio station in Western US and Canada organized a Radiothon in Seattle attended by Sidhu and several local Sikh community elders. All told, this effort raised $150,000 for flood relief.