We’re gonna help Haiti/Red Cross and a local inter-cultural Peace Camp for kids….   details on the way.

Simon Paine is a freelance television and film sound recordist currently working on a project called Inside Disaster, documenting the Red Cross emergency relief effort in Haiti. We thank him and his producers for making it possible for him to speak with us this morning on the Doc and Woody Show. The interview was short but impactful as he shared his perspective from the ground. Inside Disaster can be found on the web HERE.

[audio:http://pmd.chez106.com/doc/paine.mp3]

Below is the Inside Disaster trailer for the upcoming series, to be aired on TVO next year. As you’ll see from the video, it won’t just be Haiti. PTV Productions, the crew Simon is on assignment with, reached agreement last fall with the Red Cross to follow them and document their disaster relief efforts so they literally had to spring at a moment’s notice when the quake hit on January 12th.

More backgrounder on this can be found HERE.

Follow Inside Disaster on TWITTER. The project’s FACEBOOK Page.

Please check previous blog posts for info on how you can help.

Also of note, this article on Canada’s generosity leading the world per capita.

“Friends Of Rene Faucher”, the Ottawa father of three who was recently paralyzed during a pick-up hockey game have established a Facebook page as a notice board for fundraising events and other ways to help Faucher and his family.

A major event is lined up for March 3rd at the Foundation Restaurant, 18-b York Street featuring Live & Silent Auctions, including autographed NHL swag, Hockey Tickets, Cooking Classes, Greco Lean & Fit membership, Original Art by Shannon Craig, and many many more items.  The event starts at 7pm with a cost of $50.00 at the door.

Also, from now until February 7th, the four Ottawa Sports Experts locations will be donating all proceeds from their skate sharpening service.  More details HERE.

Additionally, trust fund donation information is displayed on the image above.

Friends Of Rene Faucher Facebook page is HERE.

While Doc and I are trying to arrange to connect with a friend of ours in Haiti doing a documentary of the Red Cross effort for his story. I have another friend whose sister is a missionary school teacher there. This is a portion of her email to my friend. It’s what it’s like when you’ve never been faced with a situation and you have to do it NOW!!

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I empty bed pans, I clean out wounds, I remove old bandages and replace them with fresh ones, I clean out and place ointment on holes in peoples heads, arms, hands and legs, I pat peoples foreheads when they scream in pain… These are things I’ve never done before.

On Sunday we were sent 54 patients the hospital had no room for. These are all people that should have been attended to right away, but there was no room. Audrey Martin, one of our Ywam staff has been heading all this up. She is a wonderful homeschooling mother of three children. The patients are calling her an angel from the Lord.

On Wednesday I was asked to be her assistant as we are scared she is going to burn out soon.. I had spent the last few days before sitting with different patients and their families. (they all have straw mats on our arena floor) I’ve gotten to know nearly everyone there.

Audrey told me that I could walk around and see who needed attending to and then attend to them. I just stared at her thinking that she can’t really mean what she is saying, I don’t know the first thing about broken legs and arms, huge holes in peoples bodies? “Or,” Audrey said “I could help her.” I decided that sounded like a better idea.

I watched as she found a girl who had no more skin on half of her hand. Audrey gently cleaned and and put ointment on the hand, I helped her creatively figure out how to then wrap the hand so it might be protected and heal. Half way through I knew I had to start helping other people. “I could do this”, I said and got up. “Alright” Audrey said and motioned to me where the plastic gloves were. I couldn’t help but grin as I put on the gloves. “Good thing I’m “trained” as a doctor!” I laughed. Audrey laughed too. “ We just have to do what we have to do” she said.

So here I am, in Haiti. I’m a school teacher that never had any training and never has been to school in my life, and now, I’ve done what people go to school for years for as a nurse. Ya, just like you I call this crazy too.

One guy had a huge chunk of leg missing. My friend Anne helped me clean it out and then carefully rub ointment on what I would call the “whale blubber” of his leg. Ya, most people have these huge gashes/wholes on their bodies. It’s this white stuff, that looks like a thick firm sponge. With gauze and tape we figured out how to cover up the area. Anne and I cleaned and re-bandaged a ladies lower back, a boys legs, ( he had four huge wholes on his one leg.

This boy is my favourite. I actually want to adopt him even though this doesn’t seem like the right time of life for me to. His name is Erson. He’s about 7 or 8 years old, he doesn’t know how old he is. He’s the one that had been thought dead and put in a group coffin with other dead to be buried later on. Someone walking by had heard knocking, and got the coffin open, and got him out. He has a gash/crevice in his head two inches long and half an inch wide. He has those huge gashes all over is legs and arms. His one knee is still dislocated and both ankles are broken. He is the most sweetest child with the biggest smile. The last couple of nights I’ve sat beside him an stroked his head until he falls asleep. Last night I sat between him and another orphan boy and stroked both their foreheads until the fell asleep. (six of our patients are orphans from before the earthquake)

Yesterday as I was helping in our area (we now call the hospital) one older lady started screaming as a real nurse was cleaning and redressing her wounds. I went over and held the older ladies hand and stroked her forehead throughout the time. She calmed down right away. She kept saying “thank you Sarah”. Everyone knows my name now! I ended up our one nurses assistant yesterday as she went around helping people.

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There’s much more personal and spiritual content in this message. It’s also quite emotional.

If there ever was a reason…. a reason to keep these people in your thoughts and prayers, to keep your heart open, to do whatever you can do, this is but one of the millions of reasons.

A link to a secure RED CROSS RELIEF donation page is on the CHEZ 106 home page
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The rebuilding has yet to even begin….

A great lineup of Ottawa’s finest musicians are banding together to raise money for The Red Cross’ Emergency Relief for Haiti this Saturday at Capital Music Hall, 128 York Street in the Byward Market.  Doors open at 6pm with a $10.00 admission.  The lineup is listed below.

MonkeyJunk, Big Jeezus Truck, Good2Go, The Action, The Kingmakers, Evil Farm Children, Boom Creek, Ninety Pounds of Ugly, The Big Bend.

You can find more HERE.

Many businesses and retail outlets are accepting donations for Haitian relief with a vast majority directed toward the Canadian Red Cross effort.  LCBO locations across Ontario have donation boxes at point of purchase.

Tim Hortons locations are accepting donations for UNICEF have coin boxes set up at counters and every drive-thru at more than 3,500 stores across the country.

And today’s the final day to donate gently used footware at all SoftMoc shoe outlets as they have partnered with soles4souls to ensure timely distribution of the goods to Haiti.

Saturday, January 30th Rock For Haiti Relief will take place at Capital Music Hall featuring Monkey Junk, Big Jeezus Truck, The Big Bend, Good2Go and more.  Details and updates coming in the next several days.

A telethon for Haiti Earthquake Relief will air tonight on CBC Television, CTV, Global Television, MTV, MuchMusic and National Geographic Channel beginning at 7pm featuring Tragically Hip, Rick Mercer, Wayne Gretzky, William Shatner, Alex Trebek, Michael J. Fox and a host of other Canadian luminaries with funds raised evenly distributed to several large Canadian non-governmental organizations – “including World Vision Canada, Canadian Red Cross Society, UNICEF Canada, Oxfam Canada and Save the Children Canada — with the funds exclusively earmarked for Haiti.”

Ways to contribute to the effort:

Online – CanadaforHaiti.com

Toll-free @ 1-877-51-HAITI (42484)

Text AID to 45678 (Carrier charges may apply)

This year marks the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s 50th Anniversary and, as they celebrate Hope Made Through Progress, the annual 65 Roses Gala is set for Monday, February 8th at the Hampton Inn Conference Center.  The event will be hosted by CTV Ottawa’s Max Keeping and will feature several luminaries including members of the Ottawa Senators as well as an auction to raise funds.

Entertainment for the evening will be our good friend and blues artist JW Jones.  Tickets to this gala can be purchased by calling 613-271-2744 or online.  You can find more info by clicking HERE.

Congrats to all for a great result last night at Bass Line Station’s Fundraiser for Earthquake Relief.  $1,000 raised thru donations and raffles was matched by the proprietor AJ Scarcella and will be, again, matched by the federal government thru St. John’s Ambulance and their effort for Haiti.  That’s $4,000.  WELL DONE.

Another night of fundraising and music goes tonight at Bass Line with members of Loudlove and more.  Previous couple of posts contain more details.

More fundraisers are popping up around town and this Saturday night, Barrymore’s will donate they’re entire cover to the relief effort.

…developing…

Please read the previous post for even more information on the Haiti Relief Fundraiser at Bass Line Station tonight and tomorrow.

More names have been added to the lineups for both nights. Tonight, in addition to Bruised Egos, guys who’ve helped me in the past (on many levels, not the least of which “confidence to play”) are driving the night along with an incredible rising star, TY HALL.. not sure if he’s with the EZ3 or not… but he’s formidable, nonetheless. Check him out and help St. John’s Ambulance and their effort to send support to Haiti.

Solomon Dean is also plugged in for tonight.

Tomorrow… Great talent from LoudLove, Eric McCully and Rachel McCully as well as Johnny Rawk, “ME and Mike” and Randy Collins. Many of these people, and the great folks at Bass Line Station, have constantly helped my causes for a better community, including the Doc and Woody Fund over the years so, please, if you’re in the area or looking for a couple o’ pops and a few tunes, choose Bass Line Station tonight and/or tomorrow night so the effort to help gets even stronger support. You will NOT be disappointed in the talent. I’ve worked with many of them.