Fourth Estate Newspaper

Issue date: 2/4/10 Section: Center

Media Credit: Photo by G. Fred W. Baker III Many makeshift shanty towns have sprung up in Haiti's rural areas.

Haitian relief efforts have stretched around the world, to small communities and large cities, with efforts reaching Green Bay.
To those on the UW-Green Bay campus, the earthquake that devastated Haiti Jan. 12 held a greater meaning than some might know. According to Brent Blahnik, director of international education, UWGB has two alumni from Haiti.
Siblings Carl-Eric Staco and Geraldine both graduated from UWGB a few years ago.
When the earthquake struck, Staco was talking on his phone while driving to the gym.
"For a second I thought I had hit something because I was not paying too much attention to the road, or maybe I blew up all of my tires," Staco said. "But when I stopped the car to see what was happening, I realized all the other cars on the street had stopped as well."
His drive home was usually 30 minutes, but on Jan. 12 it took him three and a half hours, Staco said.
After the earthquake destroyed much of Haiti, the Green Bay community joined together through various efforts to help those affected by the disaster.
On Jan. 31, the community saw the largest opportunity for donating.
Musicians, local businesses and community members came together at Tom, Dick & Harry's, a local restaurant and club, to help raise funds for the Haiti relief effort through a music benefit, Musicians United for Haiti.
Missy Krueger, Kenda Brunette and Emily Kliment helped organize the benefit.
"I spoke to my priest and he suggested that I give to Haiti," Krueger said. "It was something I needed to do."
Krueger gained interest in helping with the benefit after she read a post by Kliment regarding raising funds for Haiti.
Kliment is a member of One Week Rage, a local band, and Krueger is a member of Sonic Circus, another local music group.
Krueger believes music draws people together, and thought that holding a benefit concert would be a great way to get community members involved.
"People sit at home and watch pictures and videos about what's happening," she said. "What do you do? Coming out to the event is doing something."
This is the first benefit Krueger has worked on.
"It's easy to do entertainment because once you ask one band if it's interested soon they all get involved," Krueger said.
The funds raised from the event went to the American Red Cross International Relief Fund -Haiti.
There are many organizations available for people to make donations. Blahnik recognizes that there is a need for aid.
"A lot of organizations out there are easy to find, but be careful and select reputable organizations," Blahnik said.
A few organizations students can look into donating to are Hope for Haiti, Kids In Distressed Situations and National Nurses United.
Blahnik would like students to remember the people to the south. Students who don't travel may not understand how different life in a country such as Haiti is like, Blahnik said.
"I would like people in Green Bay to know the Haitian people and I are grateful to what the United States and the rest of the world are doing for our country," Staco said. "Right now we are so lost and our only hope is the support that we are getting from the international community."

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