Local residents reach out to quake survivors in Haiti
Community groups spring to action, and you can, too
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When a 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Haiti last week, it did not take long for different parts of the SunLand community, big and small, children and adults, to move into action.
Miller Place resident Jim Moran said his first thought was, "I want to help. How do I help?"
He settled on a series of e-mails starting Sunday morning. By Wednesday, a number of organizations -- schools, civic associations, churches and others -- were mounting a mass effort to start a relief drive.
Mr. Moran and friends are partnering with Convoy of Hope, an international outreach organization that has facilities in Haiti and a transportation network to get supplies there from Missouri. Through Paul Elliott of Sound View Property Management, Mr. Moran helped secure a warehouse in Port Jefferson and a box truck for transport.
At North Country Road Middle School in Miller Place, students, faculty and administrators organized a fundraiser for Doctors Without Borders last Friday. After the event raised more than $500, principal Matthew Clark said a couple of students were inspired to start an ongoing supply drive.
"What was important to us was that it was a school-community endeavor," Mr. Clark said. "Everybody was involved in not only raising the money but deciding how to raise the money and, also, where it would go."
That is particularly important, she said, because "the need is so great and people want to help."
That's the message Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy said he hopes local residents take away from the circumstances.
"As fellow human beings, it is our duty to help the victims in this impoverished country as much as we can," he said in a statement issued this week.
The county's minority advisory boards put together a coalition of 30 organizations for a broad outreach effort. That coalition is seeking monetary donations and contributions of emergency supplies and medicine.
While civilians probably won't be able to travel to Haiti until at least March, rescue workers and medical personnel are being welcomed from throughout the world.
Dr. Patricia Nicholas, a podiatrist from Wading River, left this week for the country where she was born and raised until she was 14.
"I could not see those images on the television and not go to Haiti," Dr. Nicholas said. "The need is so great."
How can you help?
* For Convoy of Hope, product donations can be dropped off at Miller Place Fire Department at 12 Miller Place Road this Saturday and Sunday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monetary donations can be made online at convoyofhope.org.
* If you would like to make donations for the Mount Sinai Congregational Church's hygiene kits, items such as bars of soap, toothbrushes and Band-Aids can be dropped off at the church on North Country Road weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 8 a.m. to noon. For more information call Kathy Lahey at 474-3670 or Chrissy D'Alessandro at 473-1582.
* To donate to Long Island Coalition for Haiti's Relief, bring your contribution to the William H. Rogers Legislative Building in Hauppauge or to the offices of Legislator Daniel Losquadro at 5505 Nesconset Highway in Mount Sinai or Legislator Edward Romaine at 423 Griffing Avenue in Riverhead. Suffolk Countyis seeking corporate sponsors and individual donors to help purchase housing box kits (10-person shelters) at $1,000 apiece and three-month medicine supplies starting at $11.42 each.
jwilliams@northshoresun.com
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