Before she left her home, Parinee Mitchell lugged all of her furniture to the second story of her house and wrapped her car in a plastic tarp, being careful to seal each open edge. Then she said her final goodbyes to her possessions, hoping it wasn't the last time she would see them.
Mitchell, 33, left Bangkok last week when the area she lived in was evacuated and came to stay with her sister in Gainesville.
She was one of about 200 who attended the UF4Thai Flood Relief dinner that the UF Thai Student Association hosted Saturday evening. The fundraiser was held at First Lutheran Church, 1801 NW Fifth Ave., to raise money for the Red Cross in Thailand to benefit victims of the worst flooding the country has seen in five decades.
Apisadaporn Thambundit, 28, a fourth-year medical student and member of the Thai Student Association, created the fundraiser with help from other members of the organization.
"A lot of the Thai students here in Gainesville have been directly affected by the flood in Thailand, whether it is their own homes being flooded almost to the roof or knowing relatives who have had to evacuate, or friends," Thambundit said.
Featuring traditional Thai food, performances, games and entertainment, the event was organized completely through volunteer work.
With a $9 donation ahead of time or a $10 donation at the door, guests received coupons that could be used toward food and drinks or games and entertainment. Thambundit said she wasn't sure how much the group raised at the event.
There were Thai dancers, Muay Thai kickboxers and games like "Smash an M&M," which allowed players three chances to use a rubber spatula to smash the chocolate-coated candy as it flew off a cardboard ramp.
While the mood at the event was playful and light, the conversation that rippled through the tables of guests eating was a reminder of the cause behind the entertainment and ethnic food.
Ben Vongvanij, 24, an architecture junior and member of the Thai Student Association, said the damage of this year's flood is devastating.
"They compare this to the tsunami in Japan, but the damage is more," Vongvanij said. "Because people have more time to evacuate there will be less deaths, but there will still be more damage. It's give or take. We have time to prepare, but it is difficult to recover from."
The club will continue to raise funds. Although no other events are planned at this time, Thambundit said donations are always welcome.
