'Please help them': Windsor Filipino Community Centre holding Taal volcano fundraiser

Members of Windsor's Filipino Community Centre are holding a pasta fundraiser Saturday in the hopes of providing aid to family and friends who have been affected by the still-active Taal volcano eruption.

The volcano spewed a plume of ash and steam more than 15 kilometres high when it began erupting in the province of Batangas on Jan. 12. The ongoing event has displaced about 125,000 people.

"Everybody's very concerned because right now there's no signs of slowing down," said Clarissa Cacanindin, a board member with the Filipino Community Centre.

Cacanindin said she has friends in the area whose livelihoods — which consist primarily of animal farming — have been negatively affected by the volcano.

"Most of them, their animals are dead already," she said. "And it's very sad, because their source of living is gone."

Members of the Filipino community in Windsor met last weekend, ultimately deciding to hold the pasta fundraiser.

"We're going to be selling [plates] for $10 each," said Cacanindin, adding that money raised will be donated to the disaster relief organization Global Medic, which has already deployed a team to provide aid to Taal victims.

Cacanindin said victims "really need our financial help and our prayers."

"I'm asking everyone to please help them, because it's not only their livelihoods … being affected, but also their lives as well."