City continues relief efforts for Haiti

About 200 community members attended a Haiti relief effort event Saturday at Canyon View High School.

All funding proceeds went to the Foyer de Sion orphanage in Haiti.

The orphanage was severely damaged in the 7.0 earthquake that hit Haiti on Jan. 12 leaving 200 children at the Foyer de Sion homeless and without food and clean water.

At least 50 black garbage bags full of clothing were collected to provide clothing for Haitian orphans.

McKay Trip, a junior biology major from Cedar City, said American Red Cross collected blood from at least 65 volunteers.

Trip helped organize the fundraiser and said he was pleased with the turnout.

“We’re selling out of the food and there is a huge mountain of clothing that’s been donated,” he  said.

Trip said everyone came together to help Haiti and the fundraiser was a success.

“We decided to get the community together for the fundraiser,” he said, “Between the coin drive at the high school, SUU Unites and the ‘Shirt off your back’ clothing drive, the community has made a big difference for Haiti.”

Karen Westfall, Cedar City resident, said all the proceeds raised Saturday will be sent to the orphanage. Westfall is the adoptive mother of two to children from the Foyer de Sion orphanage, Alycia, 18, and Leuben, 8.

She said the food collected at the food drive will be sent to the American Red Cross, but all the money will go straight to the orphanage.

The canned food drive will be going for another week and donations are still being accepted.

“We won’t know how much money we’ve raised until next Monday,” Trip said.
Westfall said Canyon View Middle School raised $400 for Haiti doing a canned drives and that money will also be given to the orphanage.

The fundraiser included food and entertainment. Hot dogs and nachos were sold in addition to a bake sale. Dance troops, including Canyon View High School’s Talents, and The Trash Can Band performed at the benefit.

Students at Evans Hairstyling College were also there and gave manicures for $5.
Chelsea Gover, a sophomore at Canyon View High School and member of Talents, said they did two dance routines.

Gover said her friend and former member of Talents told the troop about the fundraiser for Haiti and asked if they would mind performing at the fundraiser.

“It’s for a good cause,” she said.

Families were also kept entertained by a carnival. There was an inflatable slide and bouncing palace and several carnival games including a kissing booth, face painting and a Nerf gun shooting game.