Rotary Will Help Move Supplies Into Haiti
Dear Friends of Haiti and the Dominican Republic:
None of you need us to tell you about the horrors and tragedies in Haiti. You have seen it 24/7 on the news. But it has not been clear about how to help. This message can tell you one way.
By accident of geography, the Dominican Republic has become one of the lifelines to Haiti. Haitian ports have been closed. Haitian airports have been in total chaos and largely available only to military aircraft. Moving emergency materials and supplies to Haiti from non-governmental sources has been done primarily through the Dominican Republic – either by purchasing those supplies in the DR or by receiving them from foreign sources and trans-shipping to Haiti.
The Haiti Disaster Relief Committee of DR Rotarians in District 4060 is able to help you get supplies into Haiti. In addition to senior Rotary officers, the committee has specialists assigned to the essential elements of obtaining and moving relief supplies to Haiti – including:
Air and land transport of cargo and people from the DR to Haiti
Logistics of supplies from airports and seaports
Secure storage and handling of supplies prior to shipping
Purchasing of medicines, food, and emergency supplies for shipment
Collection of medicines, food, and emergency supplies within the DR
Government liaison
In Haiti, we have arrangements with Rotarians for receiving, secure warehousing, and distribution of supplies. In fact, President Prevel just named Dr. Claude Surena, a prominent Rotarian to coordinate the receipt and distribution of all medical relief. Claude is also the president of the Haitian Medical Association and a dear friend to many of us.
If your Rotary club or district, or your church or community organization, or you as an individual wish to help provide desperately needed supplies to the people of Haiti, the Rotarians of District 4060 in the Dominican Republic can help you make that happen.
We are prepared to ship supplies by truck across the border – with special permission of the government on the Dominican side and a UN escort from the border to Port-au-Prince on the Haitian side. Also, as soon as we can obtain landing sites in Haiti, we are prepared to airlift supplies to Haiti -- with the generous assistance of three aircraft from Rotarian pilots in the British Virgin Islands, who are willing to make multiple flights daily.
If you are sending goods by sea or air, there must be a fully detailed bill of lading. The shipment should be consigned to:
Club Rotario Santo Domingo Bella Vista, Inc.
Calle Salvador Esturla esq. Luis Lembert Peguero
Club Deportivo Naco
UPDATED: 19 JAN 2001
Ensanche Naco
Santo Domingo, Republica Dominicana
Contact: Gustavo Rodriguez Blanco, Pres.; 809-815-1737
However, please tell us in advance of your shipment so we can give you complete instructions that are current.
Patricia Joyce
