Calgary event raises $6,000 for Haiti
Monday, 18 January 2010 20:19 | 
Author: Liz | 
By Jamie Komarnicki originally posted Jan 17, 2010 on the Calgary Herald online --- Calgary event raises $6000 for Haiti
Calgarians are pitching in to help relief efforts in Haiti.
On Saturday, Urban Thrift raised nearly $6,000 for Haiti Arise Ministries -- an amount that will be doubled after the organization qualified for the federal government's pledge to match individual Canadian donations up to $50 million.
Thrift store owner Elisa Humphreys says the fundraiser was a type of therapy for everyone involved.
"It's hard to deal with these kinds of horrific global events," said Humphreys. "People are just coming and shopping here today knowing that 100 per cent of proceeds of today's sales are going to Haiti Arise Ministries -- it's a way for us all to feel better."
A group of 24 Haiti Arise volunteers from B.C., including 17 high school students, touched town in Port-au-Prince the day of the earthquake. The organization's co-founder, Marc Honorat, is also on the ground in Grand-Gouve, about 20 kilometres west of the nation's capital.
His wife, Lisa Honorat, is due with the couple's fourth child next week. She said she's anxious for the safety of her husband, but wants to do what she can to help from Calgary.
"If anything good can happen from this, it's to get the attention of the world," she said. "It's been amazing to see how everyone has responded. People are giving and eager to do something."
Further donations can be made at: www.haitiarise.org.
Many other Calgary organizations are also offering help for Haiti.
The Calgary offices of the Canadian Red Cross extended their hours over the weekend from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday to accept walk-in donations.
Overall, Canadians have donated more than $17.2 million, with the cash used for emergency shelter, food, water and other essentials in Haiti.
A gospel concert, meanwhile, is being planned for 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Centre Street Church, 3900 -2nd St. N.E. The concert is free, but an offering will be taken with proceeds going to Calgary-based Samaritan's Purse.