Haiti is thousands of miles from the North Olympic Peninsula, but local aid groups, individuals and musicians are gathering momentum to send aid to the victims of Tuesday’s deadly earthquake in the island nation.
Pastor Darvin Jordan of the Port Angeles Salvation Army said his church had received more than a dozen cash donations topping $3,000 by Thursday afternoon.
The Salvation Army and Peninsula Red Cross chapters are coordinating relief donations with their national organization.
The Salvation Army will deploy some members to Haiti as needed and Jordan is waiting to see if he will soon be packing.
“I’m not sure if I will be asked to go,” he said.
“I’ll know in the next day or so. The Salvation Army has put all officers in the Northwest division on alert.”
If he goes, he will see first-hand the result of a rare and cataclysmic Caribbean earthquake that devastated the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince.
The international Red Cross estimated 45,000 to 50,000 people were killed in Tuesday’s earthquake, based on information from the Haitian Red Cross and government officials.
Largest donation
On Thursday, retired nurse Sylvia Berquist from Sequim stopped by the Salvation Army church at Second and Peabody streets in Port Angeles to make the largest single donation to date, $600.
“I’ve been watching all this disaster on television and it just tore me up,” she said.
“For the poorest people in the world to get hit again, it just seems so tough. I had to do what I could.”
Berquist said she was moved to donate through the Salvation Army after seeing a church leader on TV speaking from Haiti.
“Donating money to the Salvation Army is one of the best ways to help,” she said.
Port Angeles concert promoter and Peninsula Daily News music columnist John Nelson has rallied the musical troops, organizing a fundraising event for Haitian relief at Castaways Restaurant and Nightclub, 1213 Marine Drive, Port Angeles, beginning at 8 p.m. Saturday.
Music, an auction and a raffle are planned.
“I’ve responded to Washington flood relief, tsunami relief and Hurricane Katrina,” he said.
The event features a jam session led by Port Angeles classic rock band, Chantilly Lace. Nelson said all local musicians are welcome to join in.
Admission to the event is by donation, and all funds raised will go to the American Red Cross.
Raffle items
Nelson is in the process of soliciting donations of goods from Peninsula businesses, to be raffled and auctioned off at the event.
Goods collected by Thursday include gift certificates from Swain’s General Store, Smuggler’s Cove, Kokopelli Restaurant and The Duke of Flowers, wine from Wine on the Waterfront, T-shirts from the Junction Roadhouse and Dazzled by Twilight, and CDs from the band Deadwood Revival.
Nelson is also donating items he garnered on a recent trip to Nashville, Tenn.
He said people have also been giving him cash donations, with more than $300 collected by Thursday afternoon.
Red Cross coordination
Michelle Kelley, executive director of the Olympic Peninsula chapter of the American Red Cross in Port Angeles, said they are coordinating with national efforts.
‘We will be talking with local radio and press about the need for help in Haiti and ways people can help,” she said.
Kelley said the organization is asking for cash donations only at this point, not in-kind donations such as food or clothing.
“They need money so they can leverage it in the community to get what they need,” she said.
Donations can be made to the local Red Cross, which will be passed on to the national organization.
One hundred percent of money donated will go to the relief effort, she said.
At this point, it’s hard to estimate how great the need will be.
“It’s a very fluid situation right now,” she said.
To donate locally, send checks marked “Haitian relief” to American Red Cross, Olympic Peninsula Chapter, P.O. Box 1888, Carlsborg, WA 98324.
For the tech savvy, donations can also be made by texting the word HAITI to 90999. Ten dollars will be added directly to the donor’s monthly phone bill, with all of it going to the Red Cross.
Donations can also be made through the Peninsula Red Cross chapter at www.peninsularedcross.org.
Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity has been operating in Haiti for 25 years, and has assisted more than 2,000 families, according to Maitland Pete, Clallam County Habitat for Humanity executive director.
With dwellings from the Haitian presidential palace to tin shanties demolished in Tuesday’s quake, that need has increased exponentially.
Pete said at this time Peninsula units are directing donors to the national organization, although donations can be accepted locally.
The local organization annually donates 10 percent of its net revenue to an overseas project, and it will decide this week whether to redirect some or all of those funds to Haiti.
To donate through Habitat for Humanity of Clallam County visit http://olypen.con/hfhcc.
In Jefferson County, Habitat for Humanity of East Jefferson County is also accepting donations on behalf of the parent organization.
Executive Director Jamie Maciejewski said 100 percent of donations marked for Haitian relief will go directly to Haiti.
Contributions marked “Haiti” can be mailed to Habitat for Humanity of East Jefferson County, P.O. Box 658, Port Townsend WA 98368, donated online at www.habitatejc.org, or dropped off at the Habitat for Humanity store, 2001 W. Sims Way.
The store is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, Saturday and Wednesday.
Catholic services
International aid organization Catholic Relief Services is also sending aid to Haiti, and donations can be made.
Suzy Dowling, administrative assistant at St. Mary’s Star of the Sea, in Port Townsend, said the Seattle Archdiocese has just committed $5 million for food and emergency services.
Local donations can be sent to the Seattle Archdiocese by mail, marked “Haitian relief,” to 710 Ninth Ave., Seattle, WA 98105, made online at www.crs.org or by phone toll-free at 877-435-7277.
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Features Editor Marcie Miller can be reached at 360-417-3550 or marcie.miller@peninsuladailynews.com.
The Peninsula Daily News will publicize additional Haitian relief efforts on the North Olympic Peninsula both in print and online.
Contact Miller at the above phone number or e-mail address, or by fax to Miller’s attention at 360-417-3521.