Lindhout fund sees trickle of donations

RED DEER, Alta.—A trust fund to help freelance journalist Amanda Lindhout and her family recover from her 15-month kidnapping ordeal in Somalia is receiving little interest among Canadians, a Calgary businessman says.
Lindhout and Australian photographer Nigel Brennan were released Nov. 25 for a reported $600,000 (U.S.) ransom after being abducted by militants in Somalia and held captive for 15 months.

The Amanda Lindhout Trust Fund was set up at the Bank of Montreal branch since the end of October to help the families of Lindhout and Brennan with the ransom and costs associated with their safe release.
Michael Going, one of the trustees of the fund, said donations have been trickling in.
“They are small amounts and few and far between, so there’s not a lot of activity,” he noted.
Going said he expects the trust fund will remain open for some time.
“We still need to raise a certain amount of money and we’re trying to determine what those amounts are,” he remarked.
He’s not sure how much money has been collected so far, but hopes to know within a week’s time.
“There is also a separating of money raised, versus money put in by the family for mortgaging homes and things like that,” Going explained.
Some of the trust monies will be used to pay a British security firm’s bill of several hundred thousand dollars.
AKE negotiated the release of Lindhout and Brennan.
It’s also expected the money will help with Lindhout’s recovery.
Lindhout, 28, returned to Alberta last week after spending some time recovering in Nairobi, Kenya.
Her father, Jon, lives in Sylvan Lake, Alta. while several other family members live in Red Deer.
Spokeswoman Sarah Geddes has said Lindhout likely will issue a written statement this week.
Going said the trust fund will help both families initially since they’ve pooled resources.
Lindhout’s family began holding unpublicized fundraisers in Red Deer, Rocky Mountain House, and other communities, which raised a significant amount that went towards the ransom.