Eagle Mountain reaches out to American Samoa: Island not only clobbered by tsunamis, tuna cannery closed, leaving 3,000 jobless Friday December 25, 2009
By Don Meyers, Salt Lake Tribune reporters@samoanews.com

Vaitoa Hans A. Langkilde, a board member of the Red Cross in American Samoa, accepts a $50,000 tsunami relief donation from the NFL at a football championship in Tafuna from former BYU football players, Reno Mahe, Ifo Pili and Gabe Reid. PIli, Eagle Mountain's assistant administrator, also raised several thousand dollars in fund-raisers in Eagle Mountain and is looking to to do more to help American Samoa recover from the September tidal wave and a sour economy. (Richard O'Reilly / Federal Emergency Management Agency)
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When America Samoa was hit by a tsunami in September, Ifo Pili wanted to help. "My first thought was to send containers of food and bottled water down there," said Pili, Eagle Mountain's assistant administrator and former Philadelphia Eagles lineman. Pili was raised in American Samoa, and his father still lives there.

But when he took a trip to this homeland with former BYU football teammates Reno Mahe and Gabe Reid to deliver a donation from the NFL, Pili saw a greater need: jobs.

Having raised $5,000 on his own, Pili is looking to do more to help with American Samoa's long-term recovery from the killer waves and a depressed economy.

"What they really need is money and materials to rebuild," Pili said.



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Comments to this story (3)
Glad  wrote:
27 Dec 2009 04:55 PM
A new thinking has to occur for new jobs to happen. An economical change of industry that can balance out all areas is the solution. It may need new Leaders to see it built.
Kris A. Asuega  wrote:
26 Dec 2009 05:26 AM
Where do you get jobs in Amerika Samoa? The Government has no plans for the future generations of Samoa. The only plans they have at the the present time is Star Kist, and Star Kist has threatened the Government and the people to pull out of American Samoa if the Government except the minimum wage increase $.50 as introduced and signed by the President of United States. Star Kist has held the people of American Samoa hostage for too long by making scare tactics arguments, if they pull out of the Island that our economic will falter. The GAO has postponed the minimum wage increase due to the inconsistency reports from our Government whether our people deserve it or not. The people of American Samoa deserved the minimum wage increase, and if Star Kist decide to pull out, then be it. Our Government should be looking to invest in more technical enterprises and business transections, other then fishing industries. The Governor has introduced a four year college degree to be awarded in American Samoa. New ideas and creactivity in business should also be the plans for the children of Ammerican Samoa's future. So please, don't join Star Kist's scare tactics to continue holding our people down. Our people deserves the minimum wage inrcrease whether Star Kist leaves or not. Ia manuia le aso.
Jobs  wrote:
25 Dec 2009 01:23 PM
Jobs sons and daughters-- Jobs long term and sustaining is whats needed- We do not need handouts, but jobs. This government has failed us, so has the private sector to some extent. We need Jobs and thats all-- Just a job!