Local efforts to benefit Haiti

The devastating Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti has brought out relief efforts from around the world and right up the street. The Greencastle Lions Club invites citizens to join it in raising funds for disaster relief. The money collected will be passed on to the Lions Club International Foundation.

"We met once since the earthquake," said Lions president Michael Stevens. "One of our members thought it may be a good idea to try and get the community to donate through the club, so that the donors know the funds they donate actually make it to Haiti and are used wisely."

The 7.0 magnitude quake, one of the strongest in centuries, is estimated to have killed 200,000 people and left 1.5 million homeless. Immediate needs are water, food and medical care for the injured. The international organization donated $50,000 immediately and asked local clubs to assist. As of Tuesday LCIF had mobilized $325,000. The project, named Lions Hope for Haiti, also plans to develop longterm reconstruction plans. Officials for the service organization state that similar to its help for other disasters, it hopes to rebuild homes and hospitals, redevelop the eye care delivery system for which it is well-noted, provide human resource support and help for disabled, including those disabled as a result of the earthquake.

Stevens asks that people send their donations to Greencastle Lions Club, PO Box 201 Greencastle, Pa 17225 Attn: Haiti Fund. They may donate by credit card on the LCIF Web site at lionsclubs.org

High school collecting

As a service project in honor of Martin Luther King Jr., the Civics classes at Greencastle-Antrim High School are collecting items during the home basketball game against Eastern York, for the Franklin County Homeless Shelter and donations for the Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti.

Students, faculty and the community who are attending the Wednesday, Jan. 20, home game are encouraged to bring in the following items for the shelter: office supplies, book bags, games, puzzles, books for children and teens, school supplies, tissues, large trash bags and diapers. Donations will also be accepted via check to the Red Cross. Checks made out to the “American Red Cross” with Haiti Relief on the memo line, will be accepted in lieu of shelter donations. People who donate to either organization will receive $1 off game admission.

Both projects are being sponsored by “STARS” — Students and Teachers Achieving Results through Service.” This committee of students and teachers was formed to incorporate service learning activities into the curriculum. The committee's activities are funded through a federal and state Learn and Serve grant that the high school received this year. Civics classes are also sponsoring the projects as a way of commemorating the memory of Martin Luther King Jr.

 Coffee sales

On Friday, Jan. 22 from 5 to 8 p.m. Abednego Coffee Roasters will be donating 100 percent of pound coffee sales to relief work in Haiti. If a customer buys a bag for $12 the business will donate all $12 to help in Haiti.

The business is located at C & C Coffee, 15 N. Main St., on the square in downtown Chambersburg.

Auction raises relief funds

Local Girl Scout Bailey Orange raised nearly $3000 at Kenny's Auction this past Friday night for the benefit of Haitian Earthquake Relief.

In the middle of the normal Friday Night bidding at Kenny's Auction north of Chambersburg, the auctioneer called for a break, and 11-year-old Girl Scout Bailey Orange stepped to the microphone. 

She introduced herself and said, "After watching the devastation of the Haiti earthquake on TV, it made me very sad and I felt I wanted to help in any way I could. I called my Daddy and ask what we could do for the Haitian people. We decided to collect medical supplies, water, food, clothing, and money for these unfortunate people. I know the economy is bad locally, but the American people have always helped others in need. Please open your hearts to the devastated people." Bailey also added, "My Daddy (Dr. Paul Orange of Fayetteville) will match, dollar for dollar, all monetary contributions."

And with that, she offered two items for sale that she had brought from her room, a collection of C.S. Lewis books, and a chemistry set. The bidding for the books topped $100, but that was only the first time. Over and over, the crowd at Kenny's bid up the books, and then sent them back to be resold, each time adding to the total amount raised.

In addition to the items auctioned, a collection was taken, and by the end of the night Bailey Orange's efforts had raised nearly $1500, before Dr. Orange's matching gift.

Anyone wishing to make a donation can send or drop them off at the office of Dr. Paul Orange, 4225 Lincoln Way East, Fayetteville.

All money and supplies will be sent to a Haitian mission supported for more than 20 years by the Maugansville Bible Brethren Church, in Maugansville, Maryland. 100% of monies raised will be used to assist the Haitian people.

Letterkenny answers the call

Letterkenny Army Depot received a call Thursday, Jan. 14 from the U.S. Air Force, 167th Air Lift Wing, Martinsburg, W. Va., in desperate need of borrowing large amounts of pallets. The 167th is one of the many consolidation points for supplies and transportation to aid relief in Haiti. The unit was in standby because they had the supplies and the support but the pallets used to transport the goods wouldn't be able to arrive that day. That's when they called up Letterkenny.  Letterkenny in quick response got the authorization to help in this mission and within hours 180 pallets were en route to West Virginia.

At approximately 5 p.m. two LEAD trucks carrying the 180 pallets and 14 Tri-wall containers were offloaded into the hands of CMSgt Leonard, Superintendent, Small Air terminal. The members of the 167th spent the next few hours properly configuring the pallets with supplies such as the much needed water, medicine and generators. An Air Force C-17 was on standby to transport the supplies and late that night the C-17 departed West Virginia with 18 loaded pallets of supplies to Port-au-Prince.

Letterkenny is also currently seeking authorization to send more supplies (such as generators and Mobile Kitchen Units) to aid the nearly three million affected by this disaster. The highest priority item that LEAD is seeking authorization to send is the Force Provider which is manufactured at the depot. The Force Provider is a transportable base camp system that can provide housing with power generation to a minimum of 550 people.