The impact of the photos taken by Governor Robert Ray of the Cambodian genocide victims in Thailand led to the three Iowa religious leaders who had prayed with Pope John Paul II at Living History Farms to call on the Governor in his office. There they expressed their felt need to respond to this great humanitarian tragedy and pledged their support to any effort the Governor might undertake. Shortly thereafter, Michael Gartner, the editor of the Des Moines Register, pledged the support of the editorial pages of both the Register and the Tribune to any endeavor Governor Ray might undertake on behalf of these suffering refugees. Amb. Quinn proposed the idea for Iowa SHARES—“Iowa Sends Help to Aid Refugees and End Starvation.” A fundraising campaign is initiated on the day before Thanksgiving with an appeal to the people of Iowa to contribute money in order to rush life-saving food and medicine to these tragic victims of the genocidal Khmer Rouge.
THE ARCHIVE OF AMBASSADOR KENNETH M. QUINN
FROM THE MISSISSIPPI TO THE MEKONG