Homer Alaska - News

The arrival of young Haitian earthquake victims may be soon, thanks to efforts by the grassroots organization Homer Helping Haiti. According to Catherine Knott, who helped organize the group, the first wave of youngsters could be ready to travel to Homer by late April if enough airline miles can be donated.

Under the umbrella of VIDA, Voice for International Development and Adoption, Homer Helping Haiti stands ready to provide shelter, schooling and a sense of safety to youngsters recuperating from earthquake-caused injuries. This local support involves families opening their homes and offering places to stay, educators helping with educational needs, medical providers and other volunteers eager to pool resources in order to meet the needs of children impacted by the January earthquake and in need of a safe place to recover.

"Dr. DeGuerre Blackburn, director of VIDA, is working closely with U.S. Immigration Services to make sure the kids will have their visas permitting them to come to the U.S. for urgent medical treatment that doctors have determined is not available to them in Haiti, and allowing them to come to Homer to recuperate," said Knott, who served in the Peace Corps in West Africa from 1981-1984, and was the North America program director for Heifer International from 2003-2005. She now teaches anthropology at Kachemak Bay Campus, Kenai Peninsula College-University of Alaska Anchorage.

Once the paperwork is complete, Homer Helping Haiti should be able to host as many as 14 children recuperating from surgeries completed at Shiner's Children's Hospital, specializing in orthopedics, in Springfield, Mass. The recuperation period may last several months.

"It is better for the children to be close to each other, as they will be in a close-knit community like Homer," Knott said. "That's why Dr. Blackburn liked the idea of sending them here to our group in Homer. We are committed to making sure they spend lots of time together, and socialize with other kids by going to school and summer programs in a supportive environment."

During their stay, the youngsters will maintain contact with their Haiti families with weekly telephone calls, and will return home as a group when all are well enough and their situation at home is stable.

"When I asked Dr. Blackburn how the kids would feel about the cold weather and snow, she laughed and told me that an earlier group of Haitian children now recuperating in Boston absolutely loved getting out to play in the snow there," said Knott.

Jane Tollefsrud is one of the many volunteers involved in the Homer Helping Haiti effort. Working with Alaska Airlines, Tollefsrud is collecting committed airline mile donations to bring the children to Homer from Massachusetts.

"Whenever there's a catastrophe like this, it's so far away, so far removed. People want to do something, but if you don't have the money to give, how can you help?" said Tollefsrud. "This is a great example of how this community is coming together."

An estimated 25,000 miles per ticket are needed, and it is possible to use donations from airline companies other than Alaska Airlines. For information or to commit air miles, call Tollefsrud at 235-7262.

For information on Homer Helping Haiti, visit the Web at www.homerhelpinghaiti.ai446.org.