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Rotarians respond to earthquake in Haiti By Ryan Hyland Rotary International News — 13 January 2010

Rotarians are gearing up to deliver aid to areas of Haiti rocked by a powerful earthquake 12 January as a major international relief effort takes shape. Thousands of people are feared dead after the quake, the impoverished nation’s strongest in 200 years, crumbled government buildings, hospitals, schools, and shantytowns. Most of the capital, Port-au-Prince, is in ruins. “Rotarians are working hard and fast to get help to those in Haiti,” says Past RI Director Barry Rassin, of Nassau, Bahamas, who has previously coordinated relief efforts in the country. “We’re at the same time working on long-term efforts.”

More than US$75,000 has been donated to District 7020 in the Caribbean, according to Past District Governor Dick McCombe. The district will be coordinating much of the Rotarian relief effort through its Haiti Task Force, set up two years ago to administer all financial aid to the nation. To learn how you can help, e-mail District Governor Errol Alberga or visit the District 7020 website. A six-member team of Rotarians from District 5890 (Texas, USA) have reported in safe after landing in Haiti for a humanitarian mission 45 minutes before the quake struck. They were scheduled to be there a week but will likely return early. (more…)