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By MELODY JAMESON
mj@observernews.net
Touched by the horror and the heroism that is a destitute Haiti in the grip of earthquake aftershocks, South County individuals, organizations and enterprises are responding however possible.
As pictures of continuing life and death struggles in the rubble of the jolted island nation flood U.S. news media, local citizens are collecting both cash and the bare necessities in an effort to relieve suffering, to comfort, to brighten the future.
As area churches reach out to their congregations and youngsters in their classrooms plan Haitian-relief fund-raising projects, the business community also is gearing up, both reaching into corporate pockets and giving customers the opportunity to participate almost painlessly.
Dr. Hal Ott, long time Ruskin veterinarian with a history of local humanitarianism, has close ties to the impoverished Haitian people, has made multiple trips to the island where he helped establish a medical clinic, and now is planning to return “just as soon as I can be effective,” he said this week.
The clinic, built about two years ago with $40,000 raised in communities here and with the labor of Haitians there, is located in Petit Goave about 40 miles west of Haiti’s capital city and remains standing, Ott added, though in desperate need of supplies.
“As crass as it may seem, …what will be needed most is money,” he noted. So far, he said he has accumulated $7,500 in cash contributions and is aiming for a rounded off $10,000 that he can use for medical supplies to support injury and illness treatment.
Ott has established the Haiti Humanitarian Fund at SouthShore Community Bank and donations of any size whatever are welcome in person or by mail. In addition, contributions can be made at Ott’s Ruskin Animal Hospital, he said. “Absolutely every penny will go to the Haitian people,” the veterinarian said, “unlike many charities, I pay my expenses from my own pocket and the humanitarian fund has no overhead. Every penny will go for medical supplies, and safe water and rice and beans.”
He indicated he currently is monitoring every possible means of air transport into Haiti, both public and private. If he flies commercial, his baggage is severely limited, he noted, but if a private jet can be commandeered, more boxes of goods such as clothing and blankets, toiletries and food could be relayed to the people.
Making it easy for their customers, three major supermarket chains currently are allowing shoppers to make cash contributions at the check-out as they pay for groceries. Publix, Sweetbay and Winn Dixie all ramped up their systems last week to accept almost any amount a customer might wish to donate.
Publix established its register program to accept customer donations in any amount on January 13, the day following the first earthquake to rock Haiti, and in the first four days of operation customer donations topped $2.3 million across the 750-store network, said Shannon Patten, corporate spokesperson. “We’re completely humbled by the outpouring of concern by our customers,” she added.
Sweetbay also will add any amount without limit to the customer’s bill, while Winn-Dixie is prepared to relay anything from 50¢ to $500. All three chains will turn over the cash collected to the American Red Cross for disaster relief in Haiti, their spokespersons said this week.
In addition, the three are making out-of-pocket corporate contributions; Publix in the amount of $100,000 and Sweetbay for $50,000 — both to the ARC — while Winn-Dixie is partnering with the Western Union Foundation in a total $200,000 donation through the American Red Cross International Response Fund.
Still other South County commercial establishments have started collection campaigns. CORA, the physical therapy clinic in the Sun City Center Plaza, for example, is joining with the 90 other CORA clinics in Florida and Michigan to create a stream of clothing, blankets, canned goods, baby wipes, various toiletries and medical supplies going to Haiti, according to the company marketing director, Ivette Delgado.
CORA representatives also will be visiting referring physicians for donations of medical supplies through January 29, Delgado said.
Yet another sizeable corporate gift is coming from Mosaic, a prominent South County presence. The Mosaic Company, headquartered in Plymouth, MN, has committed $500,000 in Haiti disaster relief, according to Russell Schweiss, local Mosaic spokesperson. The money is going in $125,000 increments to the American Refugee Committee, the American Red Cross, the Canadian Red Cross and the International Red Cross, Schweiss said. The company’s aim is to support emergency medical services and assist with establishing mobile communications across Haiti.
Mosaic also is matching all contributions made by any of its 7,400 employees around the world to relief organizations working to rebuild Haiti, Schweiss said.
The company, like many organizations, is looking beyond the immediate emergency efforts to save as many lives as possible, Schweiss said, weighing as more information becomes available whatever roles it might play as an agriculturally- related manufacturer in helping to secure Haiti’s future.
© 2010 Melody Jameson
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