Taphatna and mayor Derek Corrigan.
As part of Youth Week this year, our sister Taphatna received a Citizenship Award from Burnaby mayor Derek Corrigan for her local contributions towards international awareness and solidarity.
Taphatna is preparing for our family’s trip to Haiti this year. We’ll post details about that soon.
Today’s edition of The Province has an article about what we’re going through right now. We’re trying our best to stay hopeful and motivated, continuing to fundraise at our school and in our community as we pore over news releases for signs of our friends and relatives in Haiti.
Thanks to The Province, Burnaby Now, Tri-City News, and CBC for helping us fundraise this week.
An update from Lisa Doucette at Canadian Feed the Children:
As you can imagine, we are run off our feet trying to do everything we can. We are still anxiously trying to contact our many colleagues and friends in the field, but have not had a lot of luck to date. We are extremely relieved to have received unconfirmed reports indicating that our Country Rep, Madsen Gachette, and his wife and two children are alive and have contacted a family member in Northern Haiti. We have also heard that there has been damage to our office, but we do not know the extent of it yet.
Thanks to all who have emailed, phoned, and interviewed our family to find out how they can help in the aftermath of the tragedy. We’ll post updates here soon. Meanwhile, we encourage people to donate to Canadian Feed the Children, FIDA, or one of the organizations listed on CBC’s Haiti Relief page. Canadians’ donations are being matched by our government.
The CBC is an excellent source right now for details about the disaster.
Here are some of the Duncans’ photos from the walkathon:
Whew! After walking more than 120 km, the Duncan family crossed the finish line of their walkathon in Hope this afternoon, and were treated to a generous reception at Hope Library. A highlight was the presentation of over $150 raised by Mrs. Koopman’s class at CE Barry Intermediate School. The family is heading to bed early tonight, so check back for some trip photos during the next couple of days.
The Duncans are making better time than expected, so have accelerated their walk itinerary for June 22-24 (see updates here). A driver will be at the previously posted meeting place tomorrow to ferry walkers to the advanced start position.
Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart saw the walkers off at Coquitlam Public Library.
Undeterred by drizzle, dozens of generous Coquitlam residents visited our tent outside Coquitlam Public Library this morning to see the walkers off, donating over $650 in four hours! Many thanks to all who came out. Special thanks to Melika, Kayvon, and Kauveh Rad, local kids who saved up and gave the entire contents of their piggy bank for a cause they believe in. Like to further the cause? This way, please.
The Duncan family carried the Haitian flag to Maple Ridge Library, pausing on the way to visit a Grade 6 class at St. Patrick’s Elementary. The class learned about the situation in Haiti and how kids can make a big difference. Tomorrow’s walk goes from Maple Ridge Library to Mission. Check out our route and morning meeting time here.
Have a class, club, company, church, or other group you’d like us to visit during or after our walk? Just let us know and we’ll be glad to link up.
Many thanks to GlobalTV viewers who are responding to this morning’s interview on the Weekend Morning Show! Please don’t forget to let us know about your donation so we can thank you and keep track of our progress.
Using dirt cookies to raise awareness about Haitian poverty.
In this photo, accompanying a great article in yesterday’s Tri-City News, we’re showing some of the dirt cookies we’ve made to give out at the walkathon launch on June 19 (8:30-10:30am at Coquitlam Public Library, 3001 Burlington Dr). Over the past year, slum dwellers in Haiti have increasingly come to rely on eating these cookies, made out of vegetable oil, salt, and soil, to fill their stomachs. In such conditions, your donations go a long way.
