Oregon Groups Pitch in to Help Haiti (LIVE UPDATES)

Local groups and agencies are helping the people of Haiti and we are updating the list.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - As the world works together to aid the survivors of the massive earthquakes that rocked Haiti just over a week ago, Oregon groups are doing their part to assist in the efforts.

19 volunteer doctors and nurses from throughout the Pacific Northwest are now in place in Haiti, performing surgeries and treating hundreds of people each day at the 350-bed Kings Hospital, just outside Port-au-Prince since they arrived in Haiti last Friday.

A shipment of $1.1 million worth of medicines and medical supplies also arrived in Port-au-Prince today. For more information on the work Medical Teams is doing in Haiti, please visit medicalteams.org.

In addition, Medical Teams International sent their seventh team of medical volunteers to Haiti today from both Washington and Oregon. Volunteers include Bob Rankin, MD from Bremerton Wash., Registered Nurses; Colette Whelan from Bend, Ore., Cathy Ellis from Eugene, Ore., Janice O’Connor from Bainbridge Island, Wash. and Melanie Thomas from Burns, Ore. They will be helping with post-operative care at King’s hospital.

Former Portland Trailblazer Brian Grant will match all admission fees and donations collected at this Friday's 789 JAM, up to $10,000, with proceeds going to American Red Cross Haiti relief. Cash or checks made payable to American Red Cross will be accepted at the dance, which will be held Friday January 22, 2009 from 7:30-10pm at Willamette Christian Church, 3153 S. Brandywine Dr., West Linn.

The 789 JAM is a youth dance for 6th through 9th graders, it is sponsored by the City of West Linn Police and Parks/Recreation Departments, Willamette Christian Church, Brian Grant, Willamette Coffee, and Pizza Schmizza. ID required to enter for more info go to 789JAM.com.

We reported on 15 January that Medical Teams International teams were responding to the crisis in Haiti^[1]. The next we related how an Oregon State Geologist suggested through his research just before the seismic event, that Haiti was prime zone for a massive earthquake^[2].

Then in recent days we told you how an Oregon human milk bank is preparing resources in case a request for breast milk in Haiti is issued^[3].

Adventist Medical Center in Portland has two physicians on the ground in Haiti with Medical Teams International: orthopedist Dr. Todd Ulmer and family physician, Dr. Thomas Hoggard will provide aid to the thousands of injured.

"The hospital contributed pharmaceuticals and medical supplies for Dr. Ulmer on Friday," said Myron Krause, materials management for Adventist Medical Center.

"I was able to talk to him for only a brief period as he was rushing to prepare for the trip. He prepared a list of what he thought would be most helpful. Dr. Hoggard also received supplies over the weekend."

The physicians estimate they will be in Haiti for about two weeks. It is unknown whether they are on the same MTI team, since several teams left Portland over the weekend. Both physicians have volunteered with MTI in the past. Dr. Hoggard spent more than three weeks volunteering with MTI in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004.

When the news of the Haiti earthquake reached St. Mary's Academy, students quickly worked to help in the relief and recovery efforts.

Crystal W. Ghassemi with the St. Mary's Academy, says in addition to several prayer services, students started donation drives to benefit Mercy Corps and urged fellow classmates to donate before school, during lunch and after school. In all, students raised more than $2,000 at the school and immeasurable more by encouraging people to directly donate at Mercy Corps online.

"Your generosity by reaching out to your community gives us the flexibility to respond efficiently and effectively to the current disaster in Haiti," said Minda Seibert, Senior Community Relations Officer for Mercy Corps.

In addition to donation drives, Campus Minister Randy Kollars hosted several prayer sessions in response to a helplessness feeling many have after such a disaster. Emphasizing that St. Mary's is a community of faith and that we are not hopeless, the prayer services included time to reflect on images of Haiti.

The PGE Foundation approved a $10,000 emergency grant to Mercy Corps to be used for Haiti relief efforts. The funds will go toward helping Mercy Corps meet the immediate needs of survivors —water, food, shelter, hygiene — in the aftermath of the devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti Jan. 12.

"So many Oregonians want to help the earthquake victims in Haiti, and Mercy Corps is there on the ground helping with immediate emergency efforts and long-range solutions," said Carole Morse, president, PGE Foundation.

=================================================

Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, and he was in Iraq over the summer of 2008, reporting from the war while embedded with both the U.S. Army and the Marines. Tim holds numerous awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), first place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several others including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Serving the community in very real terms, Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website. You can send Tim an email at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com