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The employees and council officials of the Borough of Villeray/St-Michel/Park Extension have donated more than $14,000 to the Canadian Red Cross for ongoing relief efforts taking place in Haiti following the devastating earthquake which took place in that country in January.
A total of $28,220
Last week, Borough Mayor Anie Samson presented the executive-director of the Red Cross in Quebec, Michel Léveillé, with cheques for the amount. The borough council recently approved a $10,000 disbursement to help Haiti, while the employees raised an additional $4,110 for the cause. Because of a pledge from the federal government to match all aid contributions for Haiti, the final amount going to the Red Cross will be $28,220.
A large number of residents of the borough, especially in the district of St-Michel, are of Haitian origin. “In Villeray/St-Michel/Park Extension we were profoundly affected by the earthquake that ravaged Port-au-Prince and other cities in Haiti, as much as our fellow citizens of Haitian origin who are living in Montreal and especially in our borough,” Samson said during a cheque presentation ceremony held Feb. 18 at the borough hall.
Action from the start
Samson said no effort was spared to raise money for the cause and the borough administration was very pleased with the way the community was able to come together to meet the needs of those afflicted in Haiti. “I would like, on behalf of the council, to restate our profound thanks to the entire community, and in particular the Maison d’Haïti and la Perle retrouvée, who got into action from the very beginning of the tragedy to lend support to families here who were affected,” said Samson.
Michel Léveillé, executive director of the Red Cross in Quebec, said last week that workers with the organization were hard at work in Haiti more than a month after the quake. “The emergency stage of the operation is still not over and the priorities remain the same: furnishing emergency humanitarian aid to the victims,” he said. “Please be assured that the support coming from your borough will be used for the greatest good.”
Help still available
Villeray/St-Michel/Park Extension has made available one of the borough’s offices to the Maison d’Haïti to serve as a base for various services for local Haitians seeking help, such as information, trying to locate loved ones in Haiti, psychological assistance, or assistance for relatives who want to immigrate from Haiti to Quebec. A call centre remains in operation from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days weekly. It can reached by calling 1-888-YO-Haiti (964-2484).