|
Fire
Destroys Vital Community Resource Center
Haiti Communitere,
formally Grassroots United is an organization with deep roots in the
local Haitian community and the international aid community. Bahamas Habitat
has a strong history with Haiti Communitere in times of
disaster response and long-term development. Bahamas
Habitat aids in providing transportation for supplies the
organization needs in order to function. Please read Haiti
Communitere's press release found at the conclusion of this message
to learn about the fire that happened on the evening of May
3rd, 2012.
We feel this tragedy deeply. Much of what we came
together to transport for the last three years was trapped in this
fire in addition to much more that came from other organizations -
medicine, tools, training devices, emergency supplies, etc. The
workshop is depended upon daily by the local community. We
believe in the goals this organization strives to realize and want to
be of help now in their time of need.
Pilots - take the list
that Haiti Communitere compiled to replenish the resource center to
your local community and ask them to fill your plane. Before
going to Home Depot, look in your garages and sheds first, give only
what you would give as a gift, not discards. View Home Depot online (log in with email address: info@haiti.communitere.org and password: haitifire; once
logged in click on “My List” button on right-hand side). Donations
purchased here will be shipped to KFXE and flown to Haiti when there
is support to do so. Take care by paying attention to what is wished as
we need to always take cues from those with whom we are serving, the
community to whom this is given. Notify us by EMAIL that you are delivering the supplies to Port au Prince
and a crew will be able to meet you and unload the supplies. If you
can fly your supplies only to KFXE that is still very helpful...let
us know.
Non-Pilots - Recruit a pilot, organize those in your community to
fill their plane with the instruction given above or, go to Haiti
Communitere's Wishlist through Home Depot and purchase supplies we
can deliver (log in with email address: info@haiti.communitere.org
and password: haitifire; once logged in click on “My List” button on
right-hand side).
These donations will be shipped the
address in Ft. Lauderdale.
Banyan Air Service in Ft. Lauderdale, FL (KFXE) will
be our depot center and we will direct pilots who can carry more
supplies through KFXE. Our Relief Pilots will receive a discount on
fuel from Banyan as they are always so kind to us in situations like
this. For now, we need you to gather supplies, fill your planes
and join in the relief efforts.
Pilots may receive a tax receipt for their use of
their plane and operating costs by submitting a Trip Receipt once the flight is made.
Financial
Donations are needed now for this relief flight response. We could not function without the
consistent support of so many.
By Check Mail to: Bahamas
Habitat, Treasurer, 103 Dumbarton Court, Cary NC 27511.
Peace be with you all,
Cameron King
Aviation and Disaster Response
Coordinator
Bahamas Habitat
www.bahamashabitat.org
Skype:
cameroneking
Phone: 615.804.2567 (USA)
Knoxville, Tennessee
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Fire Destroys Haiti Communitere Workshop -
HC Calls for Community Support
On the afternoon of May 3, 2012 a devastating fire broke out in the
Haiti Communitere workshop. Fortunately, no one was injured, and the
fire was extinguished before it
spread. The workshop burned to the ground, destroying over two years
of collected tool donations, five 40 foot tool containers, building
supplies, medical supplies, and multiple projects in progress,
totaling over $175,000 USD of damage. In response, the Haiti
Communitere community – local and international volunteers,
neighbors, firefighters and taxi drivers – came together to contain
the fire, and salvage what could be saved of the tools, lumber,
medical supplies, and current projects.
Now the community is committed to
rebuild, and make things better than before. Haiti Communitere’s new
workshop will be rebuilt in conjunction with Haitian community
members, and that is a perfect example of what we stand for –
communities united.
As a Haiti Communitere board member said
last night:
“The people of Cite Soleil are crushed
because they were beginning to see this place [HC] as their future…
they were excited waking up because they had a place to go every day.
We’re going to build a better workshop… this new and better workshop
will be built by a konbit [the Creole word “konbit” can be defined as
a coming together of individuals in an effort towards a common goal];
we’ll be waiting for the day when HC calls it, and when that happens,
the community will come.” ~Robillard ‘Robi’ Louino, HC board member
and member of the Soley Leve movement
We are moved by the show of support and
well wishes and are grateful for all the help to continue our work
which has yielded a great foundation over the last two years.
For more information, or if you have
tools available to donate please respond to the call of our partner
Bahamas Habitat or contact us at info@haiti.communitere.org.
Please direct US phone calls to Sam Bloch at 530-563-8076 or Haiti
calls to Jimmy Levi at 509-4738-1421.
We have started an initial Wishlist
through Home Depot (log in with email address: info@haiti.communitere.org
and password: haitifire; once logged in click on “My List” button on
right-hand side). As we send this, the first supply plane is in the
air with more pilots mobilizing. We will have a detailed list of lost
medical supplies available shortly. Donations can be shipped to:
Banyan Air Service
c/o Haiti Relief, Dan Torres-Bahamas
Habitat
5360 NW 20th Terrace
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
Over two years, volunteers built Haiti
Communitere into a dynamic, living showcase of ideas and
collaboration, where foreign individuals and NGOs work together with
Haitians on community-based projects, innovative solutions, and
medical support. Haiti Communitere is still open; our conference
room, computer lab, and all sustainable living solutions are
unharmed.
|
I haven't been flying as much as I'd like lately; seems to be a recurring theme. The tropical storms we've had and a few other things have gotten in the way. I have made a few hops here and there, took some friends flying for the first time, but no real "adventures" to write about yet. I have a whole love-hate relationship with the annual inspection. As an aircraft owner I love it because the plane gets a thorough check-up, I get to know my plane more and more, things that need to be fixed get fixed if they haven't been discovered during the last year of flying, and upon it's completion I get renewed confidence in the plane that flies my family around for our amazing trips. The hate part really goes without saying, but its money. The inspection itself is 2+ full days of labor which of corse you then add the various repairs and so forth, and things really start to add up! At least the shop I use allows owner assisted annuals. That basically means they allow me to get in the way, ask stupid questions, and slow down some progress, but I get to remove access panels, seats, and clean the plane instead of someone else doing it. So I try to tell myself that saves me a little money.
Anyway, I took off early yesterday morning for a nice flight along the beach and returned in time for the shop to open up. That way everything was nice and warm for the oil change and compression checks. Both items checked great! We'll get the oil analysis back soon to make sure. So I spent the morning opening panels and removing things till I had to leave for work.
