Japanese Businessman Helps Colorado State University Recover From Flood
Tuesday, August 26, 1997
FORT COLLINS--News of the July 28 flash flood in Fort
Collins reached across the Pacific Ocean to Japan and caught the
interest of a corporate president who donated $10,000 and two
elaborate dolls to the College of Engineering at Colorado State
University.
Hajime Murahashi, president of Union Corp. of Gifu City,
Japan, heard about the flood from his home in Japan, and started
making inquiries to find out if an employee and his wife were
safe. The employee, Jiro Nishigaki, was visiting Colorado State
to study hydraulic engineering with Professor James Ruff through
the International School for Water Resources. Nishigaki and his wife, in
fact, were safe and had not experienced damage from the flood.
On Aug. 18, Murahashi visited the civil engineering department at
Colorado State and,
expressing sorrow over the extensive flood losses, donated $10,000 toward
recovery efforts. The gift
was the first donation to a new account established in the College of
Engineering for overall flood
donations.
"It was a remarkable and generous donation from Mr. Murahashi," said
Neil Grigg, chairman
of the department of civil engineering. "His gift will go a long way to help
this department and the
college recover from the devastating flood."
In addition to the $10,000, Murahashi gave two elaborately costumed
dolls in glass cases, one
to the department of civil engineering and the other to the university. The
dolls were given in the
spirit of international friendship and best wishes in recovering from the
flood.
The Union Corporation engages in planning, environmental remediation,
construction
supervision, river research and other activities. Murahashi is past president
of the Motosu Gifu Rotary
Club in Gifu City.
This page © 1997-1998 World Wide Express, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Many news stories on RamLine.com come from the Colorado State University Public Relations Office. You can get copies of the news releases directly by filling out this form.