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Science & Tech

TRU Aid for Haiti: get involved

Rebekah Hammond - Science & Tech Editor

Haiti is in need and TRU students are concerned and finding a way to help.

Since the earthquake in Port-au-Prince, countries all over the world have stepped up to help by donating money and sending aid workers, including Canada which has sent volunteers and given $135 million for relief and reconstruction.

Angela Clark, a student in TRU's accounting program went to Haiti in 2008 with her church group to help the Wrays, a missionary family from Kamloops. When she heard about the earthquake, she was concerned.

"I was really worried about the people we knew there such as the Wrays and wondered how we could help them," she said. "I wanted to go there right away, but that's not really realistic."

While she was there, Clark enjoyed interacting with the Haitian people.

"They were really enthusiastic about things and they were interested in learning more English," she said. "It was really fun working alongside them and encouraging."

Though Clark experienced a lot of positivity coming from the Haitian people, the Caribbean island is the poorest country in the western hemisphere and is supported largely by international aid. The recent earthquake has been an additional setback.

"Without outside donations, the Haitian people won't be able to survive or recover from this catastrophe by themselves. They really need help," said Kelsey Baerg, a fourth year science student who was also a part of the trip Clark went on.

People all over Canada are donating their time and money to Haiti and some people at TRU have decided to do something as well.

Jane Horton and Janie Schumacher, two university-prep instructors are initiating a TRU Haiti fundraiser.

"We're going to do a, hopefully, student-driven fundraiser for Haiti," Horton said. "We figure there's probably around 10,000 people on campus, so our goal is to raise $10,000."

The fundraiser officially starts Jan. 25 and will run until Feb. 25.

"What we're looking for is for students to choose a class and fundraise from that classroom and bring that money either to Janie or myself," she said.

Schumacher and her biology class have already started fundraising money.

"Janie's classroom has around $400 collected so far and that was just in a couple days," Horton said.

Horton emphasized the hope that students will be the ones involved with organizing and planning the fundraiser.

"What we want is for students to take some kind of lead in this too," she said. "So if students have an idea, if they want to plan things, that would be great."

There will be a booth set up on Student Street during TRU International Days - Feb. 1-5 - where they will be taking donations, they also need students willing to monitor it.

"When you look at the news reports, you see that the amount of aid that's coming in for Haiti is greater than any amount they've ever seen before," Horton said. "I think it's good for people to see that if everybody does a little bit, a lot gets done."

All the donations that TRU raises is going to World Visions and will essentially be doubled as the Canadian government has pledged to match individual charitable donations up to $50 million.

To get involved contact Jane Horton at jhorton@tru.ca or Janie Schumacher at jschumacher@tru.ca and join the Facebook group: TRU Aid for Haiti.