If you lost everything – all your possessions, even the basic necessities to live – what would you need the most? The president of the Jamestown Rotary club, Tom Boerger, posed this question to a handful of listeners at the campus-wide meeting held last Wednesday. The meeting was put together in an attempt to get organizations on campus and throughout the community on the same page regarding the situation in Haiti.

It has been just over three weeks since Haiti, located west of the Dominican Republic, was rocked by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake. Since then the country has experienced 50 aftershocks, making the lives of the survivors more traumatic than they could have already been.

The current death count as of Jan. 26 was over 112,250, and is expected to rise as rescuers continue to search the rubble for survivors or simply recover those who lost their lives. It has been estimated that there are at least 194,000 people injured, and over 800,000 are homeless and without clean water.

The main message of this meeting and the intent of all the organizations that were present is that we can make a difference. This point was stressed time and time again as head of the Jamestown American Red Cross organization, Beth Dewald, told listeners what is needed most. Boerger and Dave Smette, leaders of the local Rotary club, were also present at the meeting to give advice to the campus as well.

“We all want to be on the same page,” Krystyl McManus, a senior at JC, said. “That way we don’t double up on fundraising ideas.”

The Rotary Club is working on a more specific project and would be grateful for any organization or individual willing to help. Their plan is to raise money that will go toward providing an extended family of up to 10 persons with provisions of necessity for survival through what is called a shelter box. It comes equipped with a tent inside, which at this time the Haiti government has asked the world to give.

The rains in Haiti are soon to begin, and tons of people are still living without protection or shelter from the weather. Each shelter box costs $1,000 to put together, which covers everything including shipping. Anyone interested in aiding them in this effort or who wants to learn more about it can go to www.shelterbox.org.

The Red Cross, which most organizations have begun to donate to, is looking for money donations. These funds can go toward more in a smaller amount of time than goods. Dewald explained that the mission of the Red Cross is not only to help with the here and now but also to look into the future. Dewald said Haiti will need all the assistance possible to rebuild not only buildings and infrastructure, but the economy.

The turnout for the meeting Wednesday was rather small, which makes it apparent the next thing to do is simply raise awareness for Haiti. Perhaps people want to help but don’t really know how. Here are some groups to look for as fundraising events begin to get underway: Character in Leadership, Student Senate, Knight Society, Nursing and the JC Republicans.

If you would like more information and want to get involved, contact someone who is a member of one of these groups or Krytyl McManus.

-- Kallie Merrill