2009年12月30日 星期三

曾偉霖車禍亡 捐器官遺愛人間

華裔生車禍亡 捐器官遺愛人間
[張瓊月]December 30, 2009 12:00 AM

曾偉霖(左一)與父母、兄嫂今年11月底最後合影。 程麗燕∕提供

[賓州匹茲堡訊]

匹茲堡郵報日前報導,匹茲堡大學華裔學生曾偉霖(Robert Tseng)本月23日深夜開車撞樹後當場死亡。賓州阿勒堅尼郡法醫根據初步資料指出,曾偉霖可能是為了躲避鹿隻肇事。


23歲的曾偉霖,是在匹茲堡北邊韋克斯福德市(Wexford)Lucky中餐館東主曾錫隆與程麗燕的次子。他個性開朗,笑臉常開,從小就幫忙父母在中餐館工作,非常孝順父母。


據指出,曾偉霖於2005年自北阿勒堅尼高中畢業後,原本打算去加州唸大學。因慮及花費太大,加上餐館沒有幫手,父母工作很辛苦,讀了一學期即轉回匹茲堡大學就讀,課餘在餐館幫忙父母,眼看即將自匹茲堡大學商學院畢業,並已謀得工作將分擔父母經濟重擔,卻突然因車禍去世,令親友無不扼腕歎惜。


曾偉霖生前同意死後捐贈大體器官,他的眼角膜與皮膚等已捐出,遺愛人間。其兄日前為他舉辦追思會,有近400中外親友參加,家屬希望大家如要紀念曾偉霖,可捐贈慈濟基金會,支票可寄至:TZU-CHI Foundation, 1333 Banksville Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15216。

2009年12月19日 星期六

慈濟冬令救濟


慈濟冬令救濟 匹茲堡送暖
賓州匹茲堡訊(張瓊月December 19, 2009 12:00 AM

杜慈恭、楊惠婷和一些慈濟志工忙著發放冬令衣物。 張瓊月∕攝影




賓州匹茲堡慈濟聯絡處日前暫借城中區善泉(Well Spring)慈善機構的場地,舉行冬令愛心發放活動,濟助對象是匹茲堡市的遊民。

該聯絡處一年一度的冬令救濟,是希望讓一些無家可歸的民眾,也能過一個溫馨佳節。今年發放給每人的物資包括禦寒厚上衣、厚襪兩雙、帽子、手套,還有牙醫裘恩(John Kuehn)捐贈的牙膏和牙刷。另外還有慈濟用保特瓶回收做成的環保圍巾,以及慈濟賑災的毛毯。


當領到環保圍巾,很多人不相信回收的保特瓶可以做出這麼保暖的圍巾,聯絡處負責人陳濟禧並在現場播放製做環保毛毯過程的影片,,也讓現場人士了解環保的重要。許多受惠者握著志工的手,不斷言謝。


這次冬令救濟共發放50份物資,義工們希望明年能撥出更多經費,幫助更多有需要的人,安度寒冬。

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Snow storm 2009-12-19

Blizzard-like storm slams East, region snowed in
Buzz up!694 votes Send

Washington under blanket of snow; treacherous conditions
Slideshow:Atlantic Coast Storm Play Video Video:Flight Cancellations ABC News Play Video Video:Winter Blast Hitting East ABC News AP – Chayenne McLucas, 3, of Hockessin, Del., clears the snow off her driveway Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009 in … By SARAH KARUSH, Associated Press Writer Sarah Karush, Associated Press Writer – 15 mins ago
WASHINGTON – A blizzard-like storm rocked the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast on Saturday, crippling travel across the region and causing tens of thousands of power outages.

Those who did venture out were treated to nearly desolate stores on what is usually one of the busiest shopping days of the year. There were virtually no lines to get a picture with a mall Santa on the last weekend before Christmas.

The National Guard used Humvees to rescue stranded motorists in Virginia and some 500 people had sought warmth and refuge in emergency shelters. At least one person was killed in a traffic accident in Virginia.

"The snow has not stopped falling, the storm isn't over, and folks should not think this is crying wolf," said Laura Southard, a spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.

Nearly two feet of snow fell in some areas, and the nation's capital was under a blizzard warning. Public transportation nearly ground to a halt, but it wasn't enough to keep senators from staying in session to debate health care reform. The slow-moving storm was headed to the northeast.

Snowplows cleared the runway at Andrews Air Force Base in suburban Washington as President Barack Obama returned from climate talks in Copenhagen. The White House said Obama rode in a motorcade back to the White House, instead of taking his helicopter, because of the conditions.

Forecasts called for up to 20 inches of snow across the region, which was virtually a sea of white. The Smithsonian Institution closed its museums, and the National Mall, which normally would be swarming with tourists, instead was the scene of snowball fights and cross-country skiers.

For Chris and Kelly Fitzpatrick, who were visiting from Clearwater, Fla., the winter wonderland came at the perfect time.

"It's her fault that we're out so long. She wants to walk and walk and walk," said Chris Fitzpatrick, 38.

In western Virginia, officials said several hundred motorists became stranded and had to be rescued by four-wheeled-drive vehicles.

"Some folks have decided to stay in vehicles, others have been taken to shelters," said Virginia Department of Emergency Management spokesman Bob Spieldenner. "We're definitely trying to keep people off the roads."

Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said traffic was moving, though slowly. There were reports of jackknifed tractor-trailers and some semis on their sides. Troopers had responded to more than 4,000 traffic crashes and disabled vehicles.

"It's looks probably a lot worse than it is," she said.

At Crump's Store at the intersection of two country roads outside Richmond, Va., owner Suzanne Rudd stood with a man dressed as Santa and waved to the few motorists who dared to hit the slick roads. Rudd said only six children had come by midmorning to visit with Santa.

"Normally we'd have a long line here but people are having a hard time getting out," Rudd said.

The same was true at the Cherry Hill Mall in New Jersey, which would typically be a place where down-to-the-wire Christmas shoppers would create a mob scene. Instead, parking spots were plentiful.

Inside, there was no line for a picture with Santa.

"It was fantastic," said Chris Bailey, who got pictures of his 4-year-old daughter Olivia.

Mayors in Washington and Philadelphia declared snow emergencies and forecasters said the conditions could worsen. Governors in Virginia and West Virginia declared states of emergency.

"It's going to be an all day thing. It's going to be on and off," said National Weather Service meteorologist Kevin Witt in Sterling, Va.

Most of the flights at Reagan National Airport and Dulles International Airport had been canceled, creating a ripple effect of delays across the country. The runways at Reagan were closed until 6 a.m. Sunday. Dulles had one runway open, but were expecting many, if any, flights.

"It's going to be very challenging for people who weren't able to get out today to rebook on flights this week," said Tara Hamilton, a spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

Joy Rood, 20, played solitaire as she waited at Reagan for a flight to visit family in Los Angeles with her husband, who was asleep at a table outside an airport cafe.

"We had a canceled flight at Dulles at 6 yesterday because the plane had difficulties," she said. "So they cabbed us over here to — uh, what airport am I at?"

Forecasters said the storm system was expected to generate winds up to 35 miles per hour, which could cause near-whiteout conditions. It could be the most snow in the nation's capital since a February 2003 storm dumped nearly 27 inches at Baltimore-Washington International Airport.

At a Walmart in the Richmond, Va., area, Nnika White took advantage of the few shoppers, buying a drum set for her 2 1/2 year old son. White, dressed in a toboggan, scarf and flannel-like jacket, said she works long hours at the law firm she owns and doesn't get much time to shop.

"It's nice because no one's here. For shopping, it's great, but the roads are very, very bad," she said.

Snow, ice and freezing rain also hit western North Carolina on Friday, knocking out power to almost 60,000 customers around the Asheville area.

After a warm start to the ski season that delayed openings of many resorts, the storm arrived just in time for West Virginia, dumping more than 20 inches on some slopes, said Joe Stevens, a spokesman for the area's ski association.

"These are midseason conditions," he said. "The storm couldn't have come at a better time."

Highway crews in Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia were spraying brine on heavily traveled roads to help prevent snow and ice from sticking.

The storm came from the Gulf and drenched South Florida with rain starting late Thursday, leaving flooded homes and stranded drivers.

___

Associated Press writers Dena Potter in Chesterfield, Va.; Jacob Jordan in Atlanta; Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, N.J., and photographer Jacquelyn Martin in Washington contributed to this report.