It’s been four months since an earthquake ravaged the already-desperat

e country, Haiti. The world responded swiftly and compassionately.

But Yukon high school students know that assistance is still needed. Together, from the three high schools, they are called Yukon Friends of Haiti (YFH) and they want to raise money to help.

“We need to support Haitian amputees and Haitian children,” says Morgan Wienberg, a Grade 12 student at F.H. Collins Secondary School. “They lived through the devastation of of the earthquake, but it takes six months to get prosthetic limbs, plus there’s the expense of it.”

Just after graduation, she is going to Haiti to volunteer at an orphanage and assist a Haitian doctor in a medical clinic.

In preparing to leave, she and other volunteers were asked to bring tarps for shelters, which indicates the need in this country is still incredible.

There are two organizations that are committed to long-term support: Handicap International Canada and Canadian Foundation for the Children of Haiti.

If YFH meets its goal, one out of every three Yukoners will be wearing a wristband that sports the red and blue of Haiti’s national flag. With a suggested donation of $5 each, it could raise $50,000 for these two organizations.

They are on sale at the schools and at participating businesses.They were created by Aasman Design, and the local company also helped with marketing.

As well, donations from local unions paid for the production of the wristbands.

But that isn’t all: YFH is planning a coffee house on Friday, May 14, at the CYO Hall. There will be entertainment, art displays and snacks for sale along with information booths from other organizations.

If anything could temper inter-school rivalries, this would be it: “It’s been a goal to work more co-operatively with other schools,” says Wienberg. “It’s been really great and they’ve been happy to be included.”

For more information on how to help, contact Morgan Wienberg at[email protected].


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