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53 °F Forecast | Road Cams Friday, January 28, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Opportunities Moving to Southern Oregon? MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend January 5, 2005 Kimberly Ulrich catches up on her immunizations for a trip to India with the help of Carol Irwin, a registered nurse with Jackson County Department of Health and Human Services. Mail Tribune / Andrew Mariman India trip turns into mercy mission Rogue Valley trio will use nurse’s in-country contacts to aid tsunami victims By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune Kimberly Ulrich is no stranger to India. The Ashland Community Hospital nurse has traveled there 10 times in the past 12 years, often remaining for months for study and worship. But when she lands in Bangalore early Sunday, Ulrich knows the country devastated by disaster will seem strange, indeed. And when she travels to Chennai and Pondicherry, coastal cities hard-hit by last month’s tsunamis, Ulrich expects little familiar to remain. Advertisement That doesn’t faze Ulrich, 52, who decided to turn a planned family vacation into a mission of humanitarian aid. "I’m just going to go," said Ulrich, who plans to leave Saturday with her daughter, Holly Anderson, 27, and Holly’s boyfriend, Andrew Mariman, 26. The trio expects to spend three weeks shuttling water, food and medical supplies on flatbed trucks from Bangalore, an inland city, to shattered communities on the coast. Ulrich, a veteran emergency room nurse, also expects to use those skills in the country where giant waves left at least 9,400 people dead, 1,500 missing and more than 1.1 million displaced by the disaster. The aid will be funded largely by donations from Ulrich’s co-workers and friends, who insisted on giving her money to help. "It’s only a few hundred dollars," said Ulrich. "But a few hundred dollars in India is a huge amount of money. We could probably take two truckloads of food and water with that." The trip had been planned for some time, said Ulrich, who last traveled to India two years ago, when she visited for six months. Most of her trips have been arranged to study Ayurveda, an Indian holistic medicine practice, or for spiritual visits, she said. When a magnitude 9 earthquake in the Indian Ocean sent tsunamis throughout south Asia Dec. 26, Ulrich’s trip was postponed — but not canceled. Anderson and Mariman, a photographer who free- lances for the Mail Tribune, were still eager to go. On Tuesday, they all received immunizations against tetanus and Hepatitis A. It’s too late for typhoid shots, and the group can get medicine to fight malaria in India. "I was all for it — yes, let’s help if we can," Anderson said. "I know that helping a few people is a small-scale impact, but I think I’ll be blessed to go and see that." An Indian friend provided plane tickets for Ulrich, Anderson and Mariman. They plan to stay with Ulrich’s wide network of associates. That means that all of the money they’ve collected will go to relief efforts, Ulrich said. "We could go back and forth several times with food and supplies," she said. That direct assistance appealed to Kelly LaDuke, 45, also a nurse at the Ashland hospital. "I know that (countries) are getting aid from U.S. agencies, but it’s slow in happening," said LaDuke, who gave Ulrich $100. "Whereas Kimberly has access to supplies and contacts there and within hours she can get it handled." LaDuke hopes to join Ulrich and her group in India if she can get a visa approved. If she can’t, she’s still confident her small donation will help. "For sure, if it goes with Kimberly, 100 percent, without a doubt, will go to relief," she said. Ulrich is optimistic that their efforts will make a difference. "Even though it’s just this little band of three, I have excellent contacts in the country," she said. "I know where I’m going and what I’m doing. I’m not going to get ripped off by anyone." Ulrich has opened a bank account for donations, which can be directed to the Tsunami Disaster Relief Fund at any Key Bank location in Oregon. Her husband, Richard Ulrich, will wire money to India as it comes in. Kimberly Ulrich figures she’ll be able to accept donations until Jan. 20 or 21. For more information, contact her at 951-7262. Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. 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