Bernard Amadei (left), the founding president of Engineers Without Borders-USA, accepts a $10,000 check from ASME President Harry Armen, to be used to support EWB's involvement with reconstruction in areas that were affected by the tsunami in December. Individual contributions from ASME staff members to support the disaster aid efforts by several agencies exceeded $10,000. In addition, Amadei accepted a gift of $25,000 from the United Engineering Foundation, which was also given to support the collaborative efforts of the engineering community to rebuild schools and other infrastructure destroyed by the Indian Ocean tsunami. The presentation of the checks was made at a press conference held during Engineers Week in February at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Engineers Week is dedicated to raising public awareness about the positive contributions that engineers make to the quality of life. "While this amount is small in comparison to the overall need," David L. Belden, executive director of UEF, said of the gift, "it is deemed sufficient to gain substantial attention inside and outside the engineering community and to stimulate others to
offer similar financial support."