By Jamie Lampros (Standard-Examiner correspondent)

OGDEN — Students across the Top of Utah are digging deep into their pockets to raise money to send to Haiti’s earthquake victims.

Students at Bonneville and Davis high schools, Rocky Mountain and North Ogden junior high schools and Uintah Elementary School are participating in a weeklong fundraiser called “Hope for Haiti: Dig Deep Week.”

The goal is to raise as much loose change as possible by today to send to the country devastated by earthquakes.

“We are just trying to raise as much money as we can for the amazing earthquake victims,” said Davis High School student Kelsey Coy.

“They are so strong, and we have so much here, so it’s our responsibility to give back what we can.”

The fundraiser was coordinated by Shannon Cox, Nancy Waterfall and Chareyl Moyes, who are members of Haitian Roots, a local charitable organization whose purpose is to provide education opportunities for Haitian children.

In light of the current situation in Haiti, the women began asking students for help in providing disaster relief.

“Each school is being asked to run a weeklong project inviting students, faculty and staff to contribute their change to containers located in classrooms,” Waterfall said.

“We felt it would be good to let the community enjoy the blessings of such a project.”

Emilee Barker, student body president of North Ogden Junior High School, is excited her school was asked to participate.

“It’s such a sad situation over there, we want to raise as much money as we can,” she said. “On Monday, we had a ‘Musical Monday,’ where we played inspirational music during classes. We were hoping this music would make students want to donate.”

On $2 Tuesday, students were asked to bring in a couple of bucks to donate.

Wednesday was Haiti Hat Day, so students who gave $2 at the beginning of school got to wear a hat all day.

“Hats are against the dress code rules, so to be able to wear a hat for just one day would be a lot of fun,” Emilee said.

Students were asked to bring in $3 on Thursday, and today’s schedule features a home basketball game, another opportunity to donate.

Principal Gina Butters said one student donated the $50 he received for his birthday.

Each fifth-grade class is competing to raise the most donations, with the winners getting root beer floats, she said.

Mimi Miller, student body vice president, said she made several canvas bags to sell for $7. She said other students have been babysitting, shoveling snow and forgoing candy bars to donate money.

“At first, we were nervous about asking people for money because of the economy, and we just had a big Christmas fundraiser, but our school is the type that would donate again,” Mimi said.

“We feel like this is our chance to make a difference, and everyone is way pumped up about it.”

Cox, who co-founded Haitian Roots and adopted a son from Haiti, and Waterfall will collect the money today.

Haitian Roots President Isson Joseph will travel to Haiti to oversee the distribution of funds to buy food, medical supplies and other life-sustaining necessities as well as to help the children being aided within the organization.

“We really want to impress upon people that the rebirth of Haiti is going to be a very long and difficult process, and we don’t want people to forget,” Cox said.

“If any school is interested in getting involved in a similar project, please contact us at info@haitianroots.com.”

Haitian Roots also is trying to collect and buy tents.

The organization has been able to account so far for only about 40 of the 133 children it supports.

“We already know that many of them are homeless. At least a few of them are newly orphaned. We have lost some of them,” Cox said.

“Chareyl is in Haiti right now on adoption business but is also trying to help locate our children.”

Donations to Haitian Roots are tax-deductible. If you would like to help, go to www.haitianroots.com.

Many have continued to offer to go to Haiti to help in anyway that they can.  Many have also wondered why those of us in the organization have no immediately tried to get in to Haiti to help.  Chareyl is in Haiti (hopefully coming home today) to help bring home some orphans (orphaned long before the quake) with her job at Wasatch International Adoptions.  Isson will be going to Haiti next Friday on behalf of Haitian Roots and no more of us, nor any volunteers will travel until we feel the time is right.  It is very difficult for many of us to sit and wait when we wish we were there and feel that surely we could be doing something there to help.  This MSNBC article gives a good explanation of why we are doing things the way we are and why we won’t be taking any volunteers to Haiti in the near future.

Thanks for all your support and care!  We know that those of you wishing to travel have only the best of intentions!

Sincerely,

The Haitian Roots Team

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January 27th, 2010

Dear Friends,

We must thank you, again, for all of your love, concern, and support!  We are so grateful for the donations we have received so far.  We will use those for food and medicine for our children.  We are also in dire need of TENTS.  Many of our children have lost their homes and needs some sort of temporary shelter from the sweltering sun and the rains that will surely be coming soon.  We do feel grateful that the weather has been very cooperative since the quake hit.  If you have any lightweight tents in good condition (any size) that you can get to us or if you have connections with any organizations that could donate tents to us or sell them to us for a very discounted price, that would be fantastic.  THANK YOU!

Chareyl is in Haiti right now working to get the orphans she works with (through Wasatch International Adoptions) home to their adoptive families this week.  She is very overwhelmed but is amazingly strong and has had the chance to spend a lot of time with Harry and also has seen our coordinator Huguette.

We have received information on just a few more of our children and have added them to the list below.  We did receive the wonderful news that Daryl and Elize Olivier are okay!  The first information we received was that their father had broken his back and that the mother Juliette, and the children were presumed dead.  Luckily we received the happy word that although the father is severely injured, the wife and children are alive and okay!  What a relief.  Regrettably we still have not been able to make contact with a large percentage of our children.

As of today, these are the children we know have survived:

Alex Succes

Amanda Pierre Louis

Christella Saintyl

Daryl Olivier

Elber Prinvil

Elize Olivier

Fabrice Felix

Georges Pierre Louis

Hachely Arly

Harryson Dubreus

Hugues Pierre Louis

Jacky Jean

Jonathan Samuel Cenat

Joveline Prinvil

Loudiana Cenat

Maxime Jean

Nadia Rochenel

Nahomie Charles

Ophney Desir

Peterly Lamour

Rodolph Succes
Roudolph Pierre Louis

Samantha Succes

Samuel Cenat

Sarafinah Joseph

Sarah Pierre

Sariah Pierre

Shesley Felix

Signory Dubreus

Spencer Cenat

Stephanie Prinvil

Stevenson Isidor

Vanessa Veus

Wood Trezard

Woodline Rochenel

We eagerly await word of the rest of our children and ask for special prayers still for the following:

Faedra Dorcelus

Medsaisha Dorcelus

Mildred Charles

Also, as mentioned in the previous email, we appreciate your thoughts and prayers on behalf of newly orphaned Stevenson and Kendy.

Thank you!

The Haitian Roots Team

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List of Children

January 19th, 2010

We have been able to account for the following children so far:

Amanda Pierre Louis

Georges Pierre Louis

Hugues Pierre Louis

Jacky Jean

Jean Ezra Pierre

Jonathan Samuel Cenat

Loudiana Cenat

Loudmaika Cenat

Maxime Jean

Roudolph Pierre Louis

Sarah Pierre

Sariah Pierre

Spencer Cenat

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Next Updates

January 18th, 2010

Thank you all for your prayers and support.  Dr. Booth was able to leave yesterday for Haiti with the medical team the LDS church put together.  Another of our wonderful friends, Dr. Daniel Egan, jumped in at the last minute as well.  Amazing!  There was much frustration upon arrival in Florida as they realized they were not going to be able to fly into Haiti as they initially had planned.  However, we just received notice that they have arrived safely in Santo Domingo and now are loaded up into trucks and are driving to Port au Prince.  Under ideal conditions, this is about a 6 hour drive, but may take much longer under these circumstances.  Dr. Booth is taking funds (thanks again to Hope for the Little Angels of Haiti ) that will be of great help to Harry Mardy and those holed up at the church in Petion-ville.

We have received word that some aid has made it up to Petion-ville but is not enough to sustain them for long.  We also received the good news that two of our boys are okay.  Harry was able to read the last update on our blog and recognized Jacky and Maxime when he saw their photos.  He said that not only are they okay but that they come to the church everyday to work and help in anyway that they can.  These two boys, to me, are the epitome of what we are trying to do with our education plan in Haitian Roots—help to raise caring, educated, empowered citizens who will become moral leaders in Haiti.

In other good news (which is what sustains us through this dark time) is that the Pierre family is okay.  We have three of their children in our program.  They lost their home but they are all safe.  Our home that we are planning to turn into our first school is still standing and the grounds are fine.

Thank you all so much for your continued support.   We will keep you updated with the news we receive.

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Prayers Needed

January 16th, 2010

Dear Friends,

We have been in contact with one of our coordinators, Harry Mardy, via e-mail.  He and his family are taking shelter at the LDS ward building in Petion-ville.  The church and grounds are packed with people, including the orphans from his orphanage, and, most likely, several of our Haitian Roots children.  We have several children who live right in that area and are likely seeking refuge at the church.  Petion-ville was hit VERY hard and, because it is in the more mountainous area and the roads are all blocked, has not been able to receive any aid.  Harry says they are running out of food and that they are going to start losing people within the next 24 hours.  Many of them are starting to get sick, as well.  This is especially heartbreaking to me because there was nothing we could do about the earthquake happening but these people have survived and are fine but will die from things that could be easily prevented.  If you are the praying sort, we ask that you please pray specifically that aid will be able to get to Petion-ville.

One specific way that we have planned for aid to get to them is through one of our donors, Dr. Jeremy Booth.  He is an ER doctor, speaks fluent Creole, loves the Haitian people, and is set to travel to Haiti with a special medical team put together by the LDS church.  The team was supposed to fly to Haiti today but have been delayed because of flight restrictions.  They hope to fly tomorrow but have been told it may be as late as Monday or Tuesday.  Not only is this disturbing because of the immediate needs in Haiti, but the team is losing doctors with each day that passes (due to scheduling difficulties).  Harry said that food is available to purchase (although the prices are astronomical) but they don’t have any money and the banks are all shutdown.  Dr. Booth is willing to take funds down to get to Harry (and the funds are available with help from our friends Hope For the Little Angels of Haiti).

So, at this time we would aks you to specifically pray for our loved ones in Petion-ville, that roads can be cleared and that they can receive aid.  Also, please pray that Dr. Booth will be able to travel tomorrow so that he and his team can help with this aid.

Thank you all for your continued support.  Thank you to those of you who have donated to Haitian Roots and to any other aid organization working in Haiti.  We are so grateful that Haiti is receiving worldwide attention and response.  If you feel inclined to donate through Haitian Roots, we will use every penny of your donation to help ease the suffering in Haiti.  You can donate through our website: www.haitianroots.com.

Thank you.

The Haitian Roots Team

609 W. 3850 S.

Riverdale, UT 84405

801.529.8877

Here are just a few of the other Haitian Roots children who live in Petion-ville:

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Update

January 14th, 2010

Dear Friends,

We have finally received some news about specific individuals in Haiti.  Isson and Marie France have been in touch with family members and we now know that all of their family in Haiti is safe.  All three of our coordinators (Huguette Joseph, Yves Carm Cenat, and Harry Mardy) are safe, as are their immediate family members.  We have only been able to account for about 10 of the children in our Haitian Roots program so far.  Because our children are spread through out the greater Port au Prince area, it will probably be some time before we know about all of them.

Although Harry Mardy is safe, his home (which also serves as a small orphanage) was destroyed.  Luckily all of the orphans were evacuated and are safe.  To our deep sorrow, Harry told us that he has lost his mother and his sister, Kenia.  Kenia was a beautiful person and very kind.  She was very excited about Haitian Roots and had come to help with gatherings of the children several times.  She will be greatly missed.  Please keep Harry in your prayers.  In addition to these deep personal losses, he must worry about and care for the orphans under his charge, the children in Haitian Roots, as well as a large church congregation of people who all rely on him to help them meet their needs (he is an LDS bishop).

Regarding help for Haiti:  Isson is planning to get to Haiti as soon as possible.  Marie France is currently in Florida.  They will purchase food and medical supplies from an organization there and will have them shipped to Haiti.  Luckily Isson has the connections necessary to be able to do these things.  He will pick them up in Haiti and get them distributed.  If you would like to contribute to this effort, please send us a donation of any amount (mail it to us or send one via paypal:  www.haitianroots.com/donate.php ) and make a note that it is to be used for emergency relief.  EVERY PENNY will be used to ease the suffering in Haiti.  Looking for other easy and effective way to donate?   You can text YELE to 501501.  This will make an automatic $5 donation to Yele Haiti.  You can text HAITI to 90999 for an automatic $10 donation to The Red Cross.

A note about travel:  many of you have expressed an interest in going to Haiti to help.  We understand your desire and echo it!  However, at this point, medical experts with experience and training in disasters and international health are most needed.  Because of logisitical and safety issues, we will not be able to plan to take anybody on any volunteer trips until Isson has been to the country, assessed the situation himself, and is confident that others of us can come to Haiti and truly be of help, rather than a safety concern and liability to our coordinators in the country who are already extremely overwhelmed.

Thanks again to all of you for your love, prayers, and continued support.  We will continued to keep you updated as we receive news about the children and others involved with Haitian Roots.

Sincerely,

The Haitian Roots Team

We will miss you Kenia!

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Haiti Earthquake

January 13th, 2010

Dear Friends and Supporters of Haitian Roots,

By now most of you have heard that yesterday Haiti experienced the worst earthquake ever recorded in their history—7.0 magnitude.  The earthquake devastated Port au Prince and its surrounding areas.  At this time communication is extremely limited.  We have had some contact via e-mail from people on the ground but have not been able to make contact with any of our family members, Haitian Roots coordinators, or children in Haiti.  This is very likely the darkest time in Haiti’s history.  Many of the more sturdy buildings in the Port au Prince area have either collapsed or sustained serious damage, including the Presidential Palace, the UN office, hospitals, and hotels.  If these sturdy buildings have been hit hard, we can only imagine what has happened to the structures that our H.R. families are living in.  Although news reports here in the US are not mentioning any number of the kind, our contacts in Haiti believe that there are as many as 100,000 deaths.

Thank you all for your love, concern, and prayers for our loved ones in Haiti.  We will be accepting emergency fund donations that we will use once we are able to travel to Haiti.  Our President, Isson Joseph, is planning to fly down just the moment he is able, but it may be several weeks before the airport in Port au Prince begins running normal flights again.  There are many larger organizations involved in the immediate rescue and relief efforts.  You can find a list of some of them here:  www.cnn.com/2010/world/americas/01/13/haiti/aid.response.index.html

We will update you as soon as we have any information about our coordinators or children in Haiti.

Sincerely,

The Haitian Roots Team

609 W. 3850 S.

Riverdale, UT 84405

801.529.8877

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Newsletter July 2009

July 29th, 2009

“Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.“  ~ H.G. Wells

Dear Supporters and Friends of Haitian Roots,

This is the time of year that most of us are turning our minds towards school.  Whether we are going back ourselves, whether we are sending our kids back, or whether it is simply the unmistakable racks of backpacks and binders lining the store shelves in place of the summer merchandise, it is evident that it is “back to school” time!  As a mother, I talk to my friends about our feelings about our kids returning to school—will their teachers be good?  When is back-to-school night?  Did you hear about that sale on notebooks?  Is your son on the bus route?  How will my daughter do going to school all-day?  These are the questions that we discuss.  One question that we never ask is, “Will my child be able to go to school this year?”  Regrettably in Haiti, this is the question at the forefront of many, many parents minds right now.  We want to THANK YOU for helping the children of Haitian Roots to be able to receive an education and answering the prayers of their parents!

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New Children!

July 22nd, 2009

We are excited to welcome the following new children to our program.  We will sponsor them starting this 2009-2010 school year.  Several of these children are siblings.  They are beautiful and they need an education.  Would you like to sponsor one or two of them?  Do you know somebody who might?

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Tags: Haitian children
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