by KYW's Jim Melwert

With millions affected by last week's earthquake in China, there's a local effort to reach across the Pacific.

On the same day the country of China began a three day period of mourning for the tens of thousands killed in an earthquake a week ago - members of the local Chinese community announced the success of their fundraising efforts.

Han Pan of the Sichuan Earthquake Relief Fund Committee says in just four days, the group raised almost $250,000:

"To our surprize we we found people care and actually are very active in fundraising. We raised $220,000 in less than four days."

The money will be turned over to the Chinese Consulate and then given to the Chinese Red Cross China (in AP photo above). Han Pan says people from all different cultures and classes helped with the fundraising.