In an attempt to help those who survived the tsunami that struck southeast Asia in December, the Town and Gown International Partnership (TGIP) sponsored a vigil and art fund-raising event Saturday. About 30 people attended the event at Fairmount Elementary School, 411 S. Fraser St. TGIP member Sacit Cetiner (graduate-nuclear engineering) said the event raised about $360.

Michael Pilato, who created the mural along Hiester Street, said he donated 50 prints of his mural to raise money for the relief effort.

"[For] a $150 gift to TGIP you receive a signed print," Pilato said.

Geography professor Lakshman Yapa said the prints would be sold to generate money for the construction of a fishing boat in Sri Lanka.

"A 19-foot fiberglass boat with an outboard motor and a fishing net will cost about $400," he said. "[We'll be] raising the money here and ordering a boat from a company in Sri Lanka, and finding a local fishing family whose boat has been destroyed."

Thulitha Wickrama (graduate-human development and family studies), who is from Sri Lanka, said he was using his contacts in Sri Lanka to identify needy families who need long-term help.

"The purpose is to identify needy victims who are from fishing communities and if we can give them a boat, they are self sufficient," Wickrama said.

U.B. Bakker, former Penn State professor of agricultural and extension education, said the purpose of the vigil and fund-raiser extended beyond monetary donations. "Our intent is not to raise money, but to create long-term solutions for tsunami generations," Bakker said.

Bakker said the TGIP, which was formed in response to the tsunami disaster crisis, is composed of three main groups: the leadership team, international advisory council and action leadership team. "The leadership makes the decisions and we give it to the international advisory council and they advise on how to carry on," he said. "Then the action team takes over. ... They organized the vigil."

Bakker said the honorary co-chairs of the TGIP program are State College Mayor Bill Welch and Penn State President Graham Spanier.

Bakker said several programs are currently conducted in conjunction with the TGIP.

"It could engage the support of the community, particularly if we could get a Web site with pictures of it being built," Welch said. "I think it's fair to say we're in the information-gathering stage."

State Rep. Lynn Herman, R-Centre, said the relief effort is very important. Because of this, he helped propose House Resolution No. 25, which expresses condolences to the victims of the tsunami and encourages further donations.

Cetiner said the TGIP is focusing on community level cooperation with groups in Sri Lanka.

"This is a local effort and we want to find a local partner in the affected area and have a one-to-one interaction," he said.