Middelburg helps...

After arriving in the USA I was very excited to hear from my sister and a good friend that the fundraising events for Haiti that took place at two of the elementary schools in Middelburg are going to be directed towards my Haiti trip. Wow! I was very surprised to hear all that took place while I was in the air.

On Wednesday, my sister talked to the principal of one of the schools (where my niece Zoey attends) to see if the money raised on Thursday could be donated to my trip and the supplies I planned to buy for Haiti, rather than putting it in the general Dutch Giro555 account for Haiti. The principal agreed and apparently the teachers and students alike were very excited. It sounds like my sister and my friend were very busy on Wednesday printing off flyers, hanging up posters, and trying to get the town geared up for this fundraiser. "Help Sandra Help" was the slogan. I think I was happy to be gone with all the attention focussed on me going to Haiti but am so thankful for their involvement. I just don't like the spotlight.

On Thursday, the elementary school children brought toys, books etc. from home that they would then sell during the fundraiser in school. I suppose it was kind of like a garage sale. They also baked cookies and cakes and sold those. And some of the staff provided coffee, lemonade and cake. Parents, grandparents and children came to the event, buying treats and things, in order to raise money for Haiti. It sounds like it was a great success with lots of enthusiastic attendees. My niece Zoey baked cookies to sell for her aunt as well. How sweet! And many children also put money into a big donation box, also for Haiti.

I was very amazed to hear of all that took place. And I heard about it all through facebook initially, because by the time I was in the USA with internet access again, Holland was already fast asleep. I marveled at the event, loved seeing the pictures and felt so supported by family and friends back home. It is a privilege to accept the money raised and use it to help those in Haiti.

Once I get back to Holland it sounds like I will be busy with presentations in both of the schools as well as an interview with the provincial newspaper. I'm hoping to be able to bring back good reports of my time in Haiti and stories of lives changed.

Bedankt Mariska & Geralda voor jullie inzet, en iedereen die verder heeft geholpen. En natuurlijk ook Zoey, Max en Tim... voor het verkopen, kopen en doneren!