Yellowknife (Jan 07/05) - The question, perhaps, isn't who's raising money for tsunami relief efforts in Yellowknife, but who isn't?

Along with funding initiatives set up through banks and local chain store outlets, you'll find bake sales, toonie drives and a musical concert - all in support of the millions left hungry and homeless by a killer tsunami that hit Southeast Asia on Boxing Day.

The devastation: A series of satellite photographs showing the before and after effects of the killer tsunami.

Father Joe Daley at St. Patrick's Parish spoke of one man who simply handed him more than $200 in cash, and another women who told him her children offered to give up their allowance money to help feed and shelter victims of the disaster.

"It's fantastic support," said Daley.

"We realize there's a lot of different relief agencies, but it's really wonderful that they're all working together."

Daley said he will be asking parishioners to make a special contribution at the collection plate this Sunday to aid tsunami victims.

Money raised at the parish will go to the Roman Catholic Church's aid network, Caritas Internationalis.

Although schools only returned from Christmas break on Monday, many classrooms across the city have started fundraising efforts of their own.

William McDonald school is selling $1 raffle tickets, where the prize is a cream pie for students to throw at their teacher. Staff members have also agreed to dye their hair if students can raise $1,000.

Merril Dean, principal of Weledeh Catholic school, said a Grade 4 class at the school is organizing a cake auction. The school will also be holding a garage sale next week, with proceeds going to disaster relief.

At Range Lake North school, a classroom of Grade 3 students are holding a toonie drive and the school's student council is organizing a dance and pizza lunch.

Russell Lovell, a student in Cheryl Burlington's Grade 3 class, said he wants to help because many of the victims are "poor and need to take care of their kids."

Principal Sandra Bowden said a family with three children attending the school were in Thailand when the tsunami struck the country's southwestern coastline. They are still there, but have reported they are fine and weren't in harm's way. "That makes it a little more personal for our school," said Bowden.

"But they've e-mailed and all is good."

Penny McKinnon, assistant manager at the CIBC, said customers had donated about $2,500 as of Wednesday through an account they've set up for the Canadian Red Cross. Nationally, the bank has collected $100,000.

"If people care to donate at the bank, they will get a receipt," added McKinnon.

Mike Adamchick, manager of the Yellowknife branch of the TD Bank, said he is unsure how much customers have donated to the Red Cross through his branch, but said tellers are reporting a lot of interest.

Major Karen Hoeft with the Salvation Army said they've received more than $2,100 in donations so far. She said the world-wide ministry plans to work closely with nations affected by the tsunami, particularly in India, where the Salvation Army has a large presence.

"Our responses are right on the ground level," said Hoeft.

"We use local product, local people, and they're rebuilding homes, so some of (the victims) might not even have to go into refugee camps."