Plaza Students, Staff, and Alumni Raise $3000 for Haiti Relief Initiative

By Roberto Valle Mojica

Much appreciation goes out to all those who participated in the Haiti Relief Initiative event at Plaza College on February 18, 2010.

Normally around that time, Plaza has its annual Poetry Slam event. However, due to the unfortunate circumstance that transpired in Haiti, the Haiti Relief Fund was incorporated with the Poetry Slam as a way to raise money and contribute to the Haiti relief efforts. It was Alijami Hodge, a BBA student at Plaza College, who thoughtfully introduced the idea of integrating the two events. “The event was supposed to simply be a Poetry Slam,” explained Professor Howle, “however, the night of the earthquake, I received a call from a former student of mine, Alijami Hodge, who is now in the BBA Program. He stressed that Plaza should do their part for the relief, especially since we have some Haitian students. I agreed with him. Within a few days, I met with the presidents of our honor societies, Sigma Kappa Delta and Alpha Sigma Lambda, and our plan was in motion.”

It took nearly a month of hard work and preparation for students to structure the affair. In addition to providing help to those who so desperately need it in Haiti, the event also brought together the Plaza community. Elizabeth Rodriguez, Co-President of Sigma Kappa Delta, was particularly moved. “The Poetry Slam in support of Haiti Initiative Relief will always be one of the most memorable moments in my life.” She goes on to explain, “I was so overwhelmed with pride to see how Plaza came together as one. It was incredible! Faculty, staff, and students alike were united in support of such an incredibly important cause. My goal was to bring together an event that personified who we are at Plaza and the integrity and strength that we possess. The outpour of contributions, baked goods donations, volunteers, and participants was more than we ever expected. It could never have been accomplished without the help of my co-president, Stacy Arce, SKD secretary, Leticia Conley, Professor Howle, my fellow SKD and ASL members, and all the students who gave of their time. I was honored to have been a part of that day.”

“Originally, the Poetry Slam was scheduled for February 11th,” Professor Howle shared, “but then was snowed out.” He went on to explain, “There was so much momentum building up to that day, and I was worried that when we had to cancel it, we would lose our momentum. However, once again, the students did not disappoint me.”

Planning the event was certainly not an easy task and students had to overcome various obstacles. Decorations arrived just two days before the affair, leaving organizers with a small window of time to prepare for the event. Their hard work toward finalizing the event’s arrangements continued on February 17th, and finally decorations were in place. Students were determined to complete all prep work, in hopes to give the promenade its proper décor. On the day of the affair, students arrived extra early to begin prepping for some last minute arrangements. Baked goods were prepared and brought in to sell at the Promenade, with all proceedings going toward the Haiti Relief Initiative. An array of delicious food came and went as students both donated to the cause and indulged over a wide collection of treats.

Every year at the Poetry Slam, students and staff members are given an opportunity to display their great talents. This year, however, they displayed their generosity and compassion as well. “When my mother asked me to participate in the Poetry Slam I didn’t hesitate,” said Sabrina Guzman, graduating class of 2010. “Especially when she explained that it was a fundraiser for Haiti. I asked myself, ‘What if this was me? What if this tragedy had happened to my family?’” She went on to say, “I knew that in whatever way I could I had to help. I felt so proud to know that in one day we raised so much money. It feels good to know that there may have been a child that needed medicine and our fundraiser helped buy the medicine. The money we raised may have saved someone’s life. Dancing is my passion and that day I danced from the heart knowing that there was a true meaning and purpose for my dancing.”

There was a spectacle of wonderful performances as students and staff members demonstrated their talents for a great cause. Performances consisted of singing and dancing, poetry, and plays. Jennifer Addonisio, who recited her poem several times throughout the event, shared a poem entitled, “It All Begins and Ends with You”, a touching piece about two people in love. While it outwardly had little if anything to do with the tragedy in Haiti, it stirred an emotion felt by many involved with the events in Port-au-Prince. Jennifer later explained that the poem was about two people in love, and how “any obstacle they faced only made their love grow stronger.” Despite how hard Haiti was hit, the country’s strength and passion, and their love for one another, will only lead to the return of an even stronger nation. Professor Howle stated his admiration by saying that, “Performers like Jennifer Addonisio Sabrina Guzman, Talea Wufka, Janet Hill, Professor McCann, Dr. Dee, and Professor Carcara performed multiple times that day. Their passion and commitment really took my breath away.”

Sigma Kappa Delta members did a remarkable job with organizing the all-day affair. The entire operation ran smoothly due to their efficacy. Alpha Sigma Lambda’s collection of change for Haiti spoke highly about their determination toward the cause. Thanks in part to everyone’s contributions, families in Haiti can begin the process toward rebuilding their lives with a sentiment of optimism. The quake affected many students of Plaza, but they were among friends who tried their very best to ease at least some of the pain. Marie Bellanton, a Plaza Student, is just one student who appreciated the attention and help that the event brought to the relief efforts in Haiti. “I would like to thank students and staff members for the great fundraiser you had at Plaza College. I am Haitian,” tells Marie, “and my people are very grateful.To all the people who attended and participated in the fundraiser at Plaza College, thank you for all of your hard work. Your contributions helpedthe people ofHaiti. Plaza students and staff members gave me comfort through this devastating crisis. I’m just grateful that my mom and stepfather survived this ordeal. I thank Godthat they made it.”

The attention that the Haiti Relief Initiative at Plaza College brought to the disaster in Port-au-Prince did a great deal more than raise some much needed support for a suffering nation. It reminded our community not only of how fortunate we all are, but also of how appreciative we ought to be—not only in wake of Haiti’s crisis, but every day. “I can think of a million places I would’ve rather been on January 12th,2010 or August 29thin 2005,” explains Janet Hill, a Plaza student, “but the tragic earthquake inHaitior the sudden hurricane inLouisianawouldn’t be one of them. It’s a shame how we take life for granted and complain about tedious things like riding on overcrowded trains, not getting to work on time, or not having enough money in our account to get us through the day. Even complaining of living paycheck to paycheck is devastating for most of us. But to walk in the footsteps of the victims of the earthquake inHaitior Hurricane Katrina is devastation within itself.” Ms. Hill goes on to touch on a feeling that many of us experienced this past January, having learned about the events in Port-au-Prince, “Losing literally everything except for the clothes on your back is something that we can only imagine. This is why I feel the relief funds for both tragedies are of vital importance. We can only pray that it will never happen to us. This is the sole reason why we should lend a hand to the victims of Haiti and Louisiana,because a freak of nature can happen at any time, anywhere, to anyone.”

Students and staff members donated to several other charities apart from the Haiti Relief Event at Plaza, further demonstrating their generosity and extended contributions to the relief efforts. “The devastation in Haiti deeply touched me, and left me wondering what course of action would be the most effective in terms of relief efforts.” Stacy Arce, Co-President of Sigma Kappa Delta, went on to explain, “I, along with thousands of others, texted in my donation of five dollars to the Red Cross and still felt compelled to do more. When Sigma Kappa Delta was asked to work a fundraising event into the Poetry Slam, I immediately knew that would be the perfect forum to maximize our ability to give. The overflow of volunteers and goods was unprecedented. Watching my peers come together and collectively work to come to the aid of people they would never have the privilege of seeing was heartwarming and encouraging. Having the Callahan's match our raised funds, dollar for dollar, was just the ‘icing on the cake.’ I would like to thank the entire faculty, staff, administration, and student body for their contribution and time.” The President of Alpha Sigma Lambda, Wanda Barrera, shares these same sentiments. “Taking part in something that can change the lives of many people,” she describes, “made me really understand the true meaning of sympathy and empathy. Once you put yourself in their shoes there is no stopping what one can achieve to give back to people that really need it. To me participating in this fundraiser was an act of nobility and I would do it 100 times over.“

There is a sense of honor and respect that flows within the walls of Plaza. In the wake of recent events, a special bond has emerged throughout the entire campus amongst students. We recognize ourselves to be a family, loyal to one another. Like any family, when faced with adversity we stick together and towards a common goal. Many Haitian students of Plaza were affected in some way by the devastation of the quake. The support they receive, through comments like Marie Bellanton’s, reassures students that Plaza is one place where they can find a bit of relief.

Doctors Without Borders: Letter of Gratitude to Plaza

Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières, also known as MSF) is an international medical humanitarian organization working in more than 60 countries to assist people whose survival is threatened by violence, catastrophe, or neglect (www.doctorswithoutborders.org). As such, this organization has been hard at work to provide the people of Haiti with the medical assistance and surgical care that the country so desperately needs. This spring, Plaza College collaborated with Doctors Without Borders to help make a difference in this suffering nation, to date raising upwards of $3,000.00 for the cause. After all the effort and hard work Plaza College staff and students put in this past February, the school’s donation was received by MSF. In recognition of the monetary contribution, Doctors Without Borders not only acknowledged Plaza College’s role in the fight for Haiti, but additionally explained how all donations would be put to effective use. In a letter to Plaza, Sophie Delaunay, the organization’s Executive Director (Doctors Without Borders, USA Inc.), expressed her gratitude. She went on to state that, with support from Plaza College, MSF has treated more than 41,000 patients and performed 3,400 surgeries at various locations in Port-au-Prince. Additionally, rehabilitative measures are being accounted for, such as physiotherapy, mental health, the distribution of tents and blankets, as well as hygiene and cooking kits. Furthermore, encouragement was given towards continued support and attention to the relief efforts in Haiti by visiting the charitable website: www.doctorswithoutborders.org. Sadly, Haiti’s citizens have endured a great deal of pain and fatalities as a result of the catastrophic earthquake that occurred on January 12, 2010. However, many lives are being saved, in part due to the generous donations from compassionate patrons such as Plaza College students and staff members. The road to recovery in Haiti will be a long one, but positive developments are moderately instilling hope into the minds and souls of the country’s people.

Acknowledgements:

Plaza College would like to acknowledge the following students and staff members for partaking in the Haiti Relief Fund event:

Addonisio, Jennifer	Performer	Alrefai, Ahmad	Donations
Ambroise, Caroline	Performer	Arce, Stacy	Worker/Performer
Avila, Christina	Worker	Baez, Jenesis	Performer
Baez, Yestery	Donations	Barrera, Wanda	Worker/Donations
Bell, Ramona	Donations	Bellanton, Marie	Donations
Bisnauth, Kaamala	Decorating, Worker	Bland, Ruqquyah	Performer
Branigan, Carol	Performer/Worker/Donations	Brown, Jalisa	Worker/Donations
Buttler, Patricia	Donations	Carcara, Dina	Performer
Catalano, Elizabeth	Donations	Catania, Nicole	Decorations/Donations
Conley, Litishia	Worker/Donations	Cordero, Margarita	Worker/Donations
Coy, Erica	Donations	Cumming, Starasia	Performer
Dee, Ed	Performer	Duncan, Letrisha	Donations
Eckhardt, Anne	Donations	Espinal, Shayeeda	Donations/Worker
Fordunski, Marisa	Donations/Peformer	Frias, Stephanie	Donations
Garcia, Jose	Donations	Gonzalez, Stephanie	Donations
Grandos, Jacqueline	Donations	Guzman, Sabrina	Decorating/Performer
Hernandez, Daisy	Worker/Donations	Hill, Janet	Performer
Hodge, Alijami	Worker/Donations	Hoi, Tyng	Worker/Donations
Howle, Jonathan	Worker/Donations	Hunter-Montilla, Marlen	Worker/Donations
Jackson, Juleen	Donations	Jenkins, Shanda	Donations
Jiminez-Lopez, Delvinson	Performer	Katehis, Beth	Performer
Konrad, Jozefa	Donations	Mahabir, Devina	Donations
Mahabir, Devina	Donations	Marino, Leslie	Donations
McCann, Lynn	Performer/Donations	Melara, Richard	Worker/Donations
Moreno, Jesus	Donations	Moya-Alazzam, Caridad	Donations
Munoz, Ana	Donations/Worker	Murphy, Rita	Donations
Noria, Christopher	Performer	Pacheco, Kelvin	Performer
Pagan, Margaret	Donations/Worker/Performer	Palma, Alexandra	Donations
Patel, Neha	Worker/Donations	Perez, Melissa	Donations
Perez, Sheril	Donations	Ramos, Julissa	Donations
Rmaida, Yanick	Donations	Rodriguez, Angela	Donations
Rodriguez, Elizabeth	Decorations/Worker/Donations	Rodriguez, Yolenny	Donations
Seecheran, Amrita	Donations	Sumido, Segundo	Donations
Taveras, Emily	Donations	Tolosa, Shewaye	Donations
Vargas, Katherine	Donations	Vasquez, Claudio	Performer
Vetrano, Dawn	Donations/Performer	Vinas, Cynthia	Donations
Ward, Shaquana	Donations/Performer	White, Milare	Donations
Wufka, Talea	Performer	Zahan, Nasrin	Donations