Canadian Couple gives 4.1Mln US dollars in Quake relief
Pakistan Times Wire Service

TORONTO (Canada): A Canadian couple on Monday stunned the Canadian Red Cross by handing over a donation of five million Canadian dollars (4.1 million US) for the tsunami relief effort in South Asia.

Their offer will be worth 10 million dollars (8.2 million US) under the Canadian government's scheme to match all private donations to approved aid agencies in the wake of the December 26 disaster.

The gift, by Kroum and Eva Pindoff, who made their fortune by founding the record retailer Music World, is the largest-ever gift to the Canadian Red Cross during a disaster appeal, the organisation said.

Of Tsunami

The couple pledged 100,000 Canadian dollars (82,000 dollars US) for Tsunami relief on Friday, but after reflecting on the disaster, decided to do much more.

"After seeing more stark images of this tremendous tragedy and misery, my wife and I were up most of the night, grief-stricken," Kroum Pindoff said.

"We wanted to help alleviate the suffering, and decided we had to make a more substantial gift."●