Portsmouth Girl Devotes 8th Birthday to Japan Relief

Melanie Williams will celebrate her eighth birthday this year helping out victims more than 9,000 miles away. 

Williams, who turned 8 on March 29, will celebrate her birthday with a party on Sunday, April 3, at the for Yoga and Meditation.

In lieu of birthday gifts, Melanie has asked her friends and family members to make a donation to help the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Williams hopes to raise more than $200 to go to the International Medical Corp. as part of Tenth Gate Center for Yoga and Meditation's fundraiser for Japan.

Williams and her older sister, Claire, have also decorated a large plastic container with well wishes for Japan. Attendees are asked to place a donation in this jar.

Tenth Gate works with the International Medical Corps and in 2010, with a similar effort, raised $4,000 for the Haitian earthquake victims. Reinette Fournier, Tenth Gate owner, "hopes to do the same for Japan.”

Tenth Gate will also offer “An Afternoon of Healing” on Saturday, April 2, with various services being offered such as Reiki, reflexology and Thai massage.

The 20-minute sessions will cost $20 and those proceeds, as well as all proceeds from the day's scheduled classes, will go to the relief fund. To find out more about this event, click .