The West Seattle for Japan relief effort, spearheaded by West 5 restaurant owner and Chamber of Commerce President Dave Montoure resulted in $8591 be raised at more than 27 area busineses. He has sent a letter to gain the matching funds from an anonymous corporate donor.

Here is Montoure's letter:

Today I have submitted a request to an anonymous corporate donor to match the $8591.45 raised by our businesses and our community during the West Seattle for Japan donation drive on Sunday March 27th. If they agree to the full match our total raised will be $17,182.90.

This is an astonishing amount of money to be raised in such a short period of time. It speaks volumes about the caring nature of our businesses and our community. I couldn’t be more proud to call West Seattle home.

In addition to the funds raised and matched through our donation drive, I have worked with several other donors and wish to recognize the efforts of Nancy McManus of QuallyQue for her efforts during the “tweetup” raffle for Japan relief.

I wish to also recognize the effort of a great group of kids at Pathfinder K-8. Through their “Penny Harvest” program they are donating $500 to the WS4J relief effort and I have secured at least one corporate donor that will match that generous amount – I am pretty sure I can leverage several other corporate donors to match what the Pathfinder children have donated with a goal of turning their pennies into dimes (or dollars). If you are aware of any potential donors, and would like me to approach them, please forward contact information to me directly.

Moving forward I will wait for the donor’s response and when those funds are deposited I will split the proceeds 50/50 and have one check delivered to Peace Winds America (so they can remit to their office in Tokyo) and will have one check transferred to the account of KnK International’s bank in Tokyo. No agency fees have been taken, no credit card percentages have been charged, no bank fees will accrue – this is real money, getting directly into the hands of people who need it the most.

Thank you

Dave Montoure
West 5

The particpating businesses were:

West 5
- Feedback Lounge
- Shadowland
- Easy Street Records & Café
- The Mission
- Porterhouse
- Beveridge Place Pub
- Skylark Café & Pub
- Bin 41
- The Bridge
- Mashiko
- Spring Hill
- Cherry Consignment
- Coffee to a Tea with Sugar
- Fresh Bistro
- Meander’s Kitchen
- Jak’s Grill
- West Seattle Produce
- Wing Dome
- Beer Junction
- Capers
- Red Cup Espresso
- West Seattle Farmers Market
- City Mouse Studio
- Many Moons Trading Co.
- Tacos Guaymas West Seattle