Local church requests donations for earthquake victims
By Emily Taylor
January 25, 2010
On Jan. 12, an earthquake in Haiti killed an estimated 150,000 people. The children of Haiti represent one of the groups with the most significant needs. Many lost their families and are now without food or shelter.
According to Emilie Fangman, Silver Lake resident, the local First Baptist Church supports one such orphanage. The Lashbrook Family Ministry Orphanage and School is now looking for supplies.
Fangman said the Lashbrook Mission suffered some damage but wasn't completely destroyed, and it is now taking in refugees of the earthquake. None of the children at the orphanage were injured, but they are all frightened and in need of assistance.
The mission supports 118 children who live there and another 250 who commute to school every day. There, they feed the kids one meal, which is sometimes the only meal they receive. While the normal rations for the residents equal out two to three meals a day, the supplies the mission received solely from Port-Au-Prince are gone.
She said the ministry is asking for outside help because all material depends on these donations.
At this time, Fangman said the local Baptist church is reaching out to the community and school, asking for help in gathering supplies to send to support the children and refugees in need.
On behalf of the church, the Silver Lake High School Student Council will be collecting goods until Feb. 5. Donations can be taken to either the SLHS office or library. The mission is asking for food and basic necessities to be donated.
The list includes: baby wipes, peanut butter, bars of deodorant soap, shampoo, stick deodorant, toilet paper, liquid laundry soap, children's vitamins, disposable diapers, canned meats (tuna, chicken, ham, Spam), powdered baby formula with iron, infant/child/adult Tylenol or Ibuprofen, and cards of encouragement to the children.
Questions may be directed to Fangman at 582-5202.
