The BreadBasket Disaster Relief Rotary Action Group By Leticia Parra ROTI Chair

Dear ROTIans,

During the last days I have been in touch with Rotarian John J. Eberhard, Disaster Relief - Rotarian Action Group Chair, Director Rotary International 2003-2005; who has made an urgent appeal to all Rotarians Worldwide to help people from Haiti after the terrible earthquake.

Rotarian John J. Everhard informs that Rotarian Claude Surena the Haiti Disaster Chair is our primary contact and is working very closely with the Government of Haiti and the Red Cross on behalf of the District. By 7:00 PM last night he had over 100 injured people in his yard and was out of food, blankets and space.

RIDE John Smarge and PDG Barry Rassin are assisting the process of setting up a Donor Advised Fund for Haiti in our Rotary Foundation. He is looking forward to details on this so that DRRAG can encourage Rotarians to donate funds through this single source.

District 4060 – Dominican Republic. These 64 Clubs are in the best position to immediately respond to the expanding need for consumer goods (water, medicines, shelter, first aid supplies, and shelter). Arrangements are being made to have Rotary truck convoys move across the frontier even though transportation in Haiti is difficult. They have contact with Haiti Rotarians. A Committee has been established by DG Ramiro Melo and headed up by ADG Alexandria Adams and her husband Charles (both of whom are experienced in over 30 years of humanitarian work in Haiti). A bank account is being established to allow for local purchases of goods (most of which do not exist in Haiti). Therefore the most urgent commodity is money. Details of this will be available by the end of the day today (January 14th)

Rotary Club sponsored initiatives are mobilizing. Aquabox, Shelter Box, WaterWorks and Aqua Box all bean to make arrangements to be on the ground. The DRRAG web site and the individual web sites are carrying details about these important initiatives.

The DRRAG District Operations Officer, PDG Dick McCombe has been appointed by the DG of D. 7020 to be the point person. They have communicated by Satellite Phone or Satellite e-mail to most of the Haiti Task Force Team. The situation is so grave they are not yet in a position to move or check on others. Currently we know that ADG Ted Lazarre lost his house and his business and he and his wife and child are on the street in front of the Palace with nowhere to go. This message was received via satellite phone and it went dead almost immediately during the conversation. They are trying to coordinate some assistance. This morning there is some power and Rotarians from D 4060 are slowing making contacts.

A Committee has been established by DG Ramiro Melo and headed up by ADG Alexandria Adams and her husband Charles (both of whom are experienced in over 30 years of humanitarian work in Haiti). A bank account is being established to allow for local purchases of goods (most of which do not exist in Haiti).

Therefore the most urgent commodity is money. Details of this will be available by the end of the day today (January 14th)

We would be grateful if you would consider communicating to the Rotary world the following:

The immediate need is money. We are very pleased that residents of the USA will soon have a DAF operated in cooperation with TRF. In order of priority, PDG Richard McCombe and PRID Barry Rassin have asked for money first and will advise DRAG of the Foundation DAF account some time later today.

District 7020 Haiti Relief Account:US$ Payment by Wire Transfer:
Donors should be asked to kindly send e-mail advice of transfer to PDG Richard W. Harris rwh@candw.ky and (state name and email address of any other D7020 intended recipient)
Send to: Wachovia Bank, New York
SWIFT Code: PNBPUS3NNYC
ABA Code: 026005092

For credit to: First Caribbean International Bank (Cayman) Limited
SWIFT Code: FCIBKYKY
Account Number: 2000192002655
For further credit to: Rotary International District 7020
Account Number 3481106
Reference “Haiti Earthquake Relief”
US$ Payment by Bank Draft or Cheque (Check):
Mailed payment must be an official Bank Draft drawn on a US clearing bank or a cheque drawn on a US domestic bank.
(US$ denominated cheques drawn on a bank outside of the continental USA are discouraged as they may be difficult to negotiate)

Mail to:
PDG Richard W. Harris
Rotary International District 7020
P.O. Box 557
Grand Cayman KY1-1502
CAYMAN ISLANDS
Information of the Account in the Dominican Republic (d. 4060) will be available later today. Non-Americans who do not need a tax receipt will be well advised to donate to either of these two District operated funds.
DRRAG desperately needs a reprieve from the impediments of the Rotarian Action Group rules on communication. It is heartbreaking to know that DRRAG is not able to communicate with non-members or Clubs or Districts for the purpose of responding to these tragic events. We look to you to provide this authority.
John J. Eberhard,
Executive Director, CRCID
Chair: Disaster Relief - Rotarian Action Group
Director, Rotary International 2003-2005
Tel 519-473-2100
Fax 519-471-8982
drrag.org

Through this message we kindly ask you to share this info into your clubs.

The Future of Rotary is in our Hands

Leticia Parra Toledo
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