WESTLOCK – The community of Clyde has once again rallied around Haiti, raising $4,718 in a fundraiser for the battered Caribbean nation.
The annual event on April 9 was held at the curling complex and featured a chili supper, silent and live auctions, a guest speaker and a variety show. All proceeds raised went towards supporting a Christian mission in Haiti, that is supported by Clyde Christian Bible Church.
“This was our eighth event — we haven’t had an event for two years,” said fundraiser organizer Barb Carbert. “The one we planned for 2020 was cancelled so this is the first time since 2019 that we’ve been able to go ahead and plan and have people come.”
A small but supportive crowd of just over 80 residents and guests came out to enjoy the supper and variety show that included local singers Kathy and Delton Wolfe, Graham Schole and Francis Kavanaugh.
“We had a speaker from Calgary who gave us a video and showed us some pictures of Haiti and our missionary (Ricot Leon) that’s working down there. It gave people an idea of what they’re doing and what the situation is,” said Carbert. “He and his wife and four children are back in Haiti and lately they’ve been helping 12 different families re-build their house because in the past 18 months there’s been two earthquakes in the area where they live,” she added, noting there are 60 damaged homes in total that are needing repairs.
Carbert said they were grateful for the support from local residents and volunteers who helped with the event. Most of the $4,718 raised will go towards supporting Leon and the work he and his family are doing in Haiti.
“People were very generous, really very generous. We’re very, very happy with the way it went,” said Carbert.
Guest speaker Rick Scruggs with Lifeline Christian Mission in Calgary, an organization that works with missions in the United States, Canada, Central America and Haiti, provided an update to church members, spoke about the work being done there and the current situation in Haiti.
“Clyde Christian Bible Church has been a supporter of our work in Haiti with Ricot Leon and his family for many years. They’ve sent mission trips down there,” said Scruggs, noting the political and economic instability and natural disasters that have caused conflict and much destruction in recent years. “The problem right now in Haiti is that there’s such chaos that there’s very little we can do. Mission trips are all cancelled for the time being because of the gang warfare and everything.”
Leon, who is Lifeline’s regional director in the southern part of Haiti, recently moved back to his home country with his young family after completing studies here in Alberta.
“Rico is a native Haitian who came to Calgary, went to college and found Mandy his wife there. They got married and now they’re back,” said Scruggs, noting the tremendous support for the mission from the community of Clyde. “They’re not only caring with their money but they’ve done meal packs and they’ve also sent mission trips down to Haiti, so they’ve been very involved.”
Carbert said the annual fundraiser is a good reminder that every donation continues to help and support the important mission work for the people of Haiti.
“When I stood up in church six weeks ago I said, we can’t do everything, but we’ve got to something,” said Carbert.
