Our help in Haiti is needed

[deano269]

A message from Becky Rutz of Gulf Port, Ms to all alumni.

Dean --- I'm sure everyone has heard of the catastrophic event of the
earthquake that hit Haiti yesterday. I am writing you to ask you do
something for me. Never a day goes by that I don't remember the
outpouring of help and offers of help that came from all over the world
after Hurricane Katrina. Specially that from my choir buddies. None of
you will ever know or understand what that has and continues to mean to
me! I'm teary writing this message just thinking about it.
I'm going to ask you to post a request to the AOSFYC website. I would
like to request that the Alumni respond to the devastation in Haiti as
they did down here. Without the donations to all the organizations and
the continued flow of volunteers, we would not have made the tremendous
strides in recovery that we have. You just don't know!!!!! There are
still hundreds of volunteers on the coast all the time!!! It is
absolutely amazing.
People messaged me asking what they could do to help. Here's the answer
---- contact your favorite organization and see what they need. It may
be supplies, it may be blankets, it may be money, it may be manpower.
Help them however you can and they will see the assistance gets to where
it is needed. The Red Cross, The Salvation Army and all the faith-based
groups will be on the ground if not there already. Clothing, food,
medical supplies, even water will be prized! If you haven't been
through something similar, you can't imagine! Our destruction was
nothing like what I'm seeing in Haiti, but the infrastructure needs are
similar --- you are back to square one!! Health issues will be serious,
not only from injuries, but disease due to lack of sanitation and safe
drinking water.
So, that's my plea. So many were and continue to be so generous here on
the coast, extend the helping hand.
Thanks!
Becky