Canadian Friends of HAS Receives $54,000 in Grants

The Charles Johnson Charitable Foundation is a family foundation that was started by Charles Johnson himself in the 1950s. The Board for the foundation meets once a year to choose non-profit organizations to be the recipients of grants. CJCF has awarded CFHAS grants on an annual basis since 2004. The grants announced in this article are the largest to date, but the previous grants have also been generous (between $12,000 and $18,000 annually). Including the grants for 2012 / 2013 the CJCF has awarded a total of $177,500 to CFHAS and $8,000 in support of the birthing kit program.

The CJCF grants for 2012 / 2013, in memory of Peter, are in response to a report that CFHAS was invited to make. The submitted report specified that “the funds we raise each year enable us to work with HAS in its delivery of an annual Maternal & Child Health Program”. Cited in the report, as specific aspects of the Program supported by CFHAS, were Traditional Birth Attendants, Community Health Workers, Neonatal Care, the High Risk Obstetrics Unit at the hospital and the Mobile Clinics. The report mentioned the more than 9,000 pregnant women and 42,500 children under 5 (in the lower Artibonite region) who will benefit from the Maternal & Child Health Program. The significant CJCF grants help to ensure the continuation of the current level of care to women and children in the Artibonite region.

Note about income:  CFHAS has four important sources of income which together make up a significant annual donation to Hôpital Albert Schweitzer. Besides the Charles Johnson Charitable Foundation, CFHAS depends on significant money from the Haiti Happening Dinner & Silent Auction (last Saturday in February), the 100 Holes for Haiti Golf Event (third Thursday in September) and donations from individuals and groups (made any time through the year). These income sources allowed CFHAS to make a donation of $100,000 to HAS in 2011. This November Hal Devins, as part of a work team going to the hospital, will present another $100,000 as the CFHAS 2012 donation. (It should be noted that this year CFHAS will participate in an additional fundraiser, the Road2Hope Marathon, November 3^rd, 2012.)

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10th Annual Haiti Golf Fundraiser a Huge Success!!

On Thursday September 20th, thirty-six men and women assembled at the Beverly Golf & Country

Club to enjoy the final chapter in their efforts to raise funds for the children of Haiti. Having worked hard,

over the preceding months, to coax their family, friends and associates to make donations, the golfers arrived

at the course at 7:00am, ready to enjoy a dream day on the links.

Golfers, who first made donations to the cause themselves, were representing hundreds of area

people who had made a donation to the 100 Holes for Haiti event. Sponsored jointly by The Joy & Hope of

Haiti and the Canadian Friends of Hôpital Albert Schweitzer, this fundraiser supported the Stella House

Orphanage in Cap Haitien, Haiti and the Maternal & Child Health program at Hôpital Albert Schweitzer in

Deschapelles, Haiti. The net proceeds from the event will be divided evenly between these two recipients.

After a delicious buffet breakfast, the assault on the course began at 8:00am, with many players

hitting two balls on the par 4s and 5s and three balls on the par 3s. The course was in wonderful condition

and everyone raved about the beautiful layout. Representing Canadian Friends of HAS were Arlene Sargeant,

Gini Steel, Ken Bond, Nick Bond, Al Zorro, Hal Devins, Chris Horrocks, Brad Berquist, Bob Becksfort and

Dave McKay. Cathy Johnson, Adrienne Devins and Susan McKay helped out by running the putting contest.

A BBQ lunch re-energized the golfers who headed back out for another five plus hours of golf. Even

a couple of hours of gentle rain did not deter anyone from their mission. Most returned to the clubhouse by

about 6:00pm but some of the most enthusiastic golfers stayed out until near dark.

During the cocktail hour in the lovely Beverly dining room area, the golfers were joined by twenty-

seven guests for the evening portion of the event, arranged by Pam Smye. A scrumptious dinner was served

to an appreciative group of diners. Between courses emcee Rick Elliott efficiently worked through all the

different aspects of the evening program.

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HAS Welcomes Louis Martin as CEO

Dear Friends and Colleagues:

As the current Chair of The Grant Foundation Board, I am aware that each of you has faced the rewards and challenges of serving the cause of Hôpital Albert Schweitzer Haiti. Our ability to deliver service to the people of the Artibonite Valley is in large part due to the efforts which each of you have made to build the foundations of the institution as it is today.

I am very pleased to share with you some recent news about HAS which will provide evidence of the current energy and compassion of the organization, and which also represents a very optimistic path forward.

The Board of Directors has voted unanimously to select Mr. Louis Martin as its new CEO who will arrive in Haiti and take on this role in October 2012. Louis is an experienced administrator and financial manager of health care organizations in Vietnam, Thailand and Switzerland. He was born in Canada, educated in the United States, and now resides in Geneva, Switzerland with his wife and two children.

Our comprehensive search process benefited from the energy and commitment of a professional international search firm, Tyler and Co., and from a search committee composed of myself, Brad Berquist, Anna Mann, Tom Succop, and Ian Rawson. We were fortunate to attract a large pool of candidates, representing a broad range of nationalities and experience. Based on interviews and other evaluations, which included three of the finalists being invited for two-day visits and interviews in Haiti, the committee was unanimous in its selection of Mr. Martin.

In addition to this significant effort, we have recruited an outstanding new member of the HAS team to serve as the Director of Development in Pittsburgh. Ms. Lenora Vesio, who comes to us from a position at the Carnegie Museum of Art, brings a wide range of talents to our development team with her extensive experience in corporate communications and fundraising.

With this transition in leadership, the Board is grateful for Ian Rawson's recent years of service in Deschapelles as Managing Director, where his experience and energy supported the hospital's responses to the earthquake, cholera and civil disturbances. In collaboration with our Medical Director, Dr. Silvia Ernst, Ian has encouraged the advancement of several senior Haitian managers who have strengthened the organizational fabric for the future. As soon as Louis is comfortable in his new role as CEO, Ian looks forward to returning home to be with his family, and to support the ongoing development effort.

I am certain that we would not have arrived at this current strong position without the dedication each of you has brought to this organization in the many roles which has provided the means to continue our mission. I am grateful to each of you for your many contributions, and hope that you take pride and pleasure in these recent transitions.

Sincerely,

John Walton

Board Chair   

Management update from HAS - July 27 2012

As we write this letter, we are experiencing a torrential rain. Outside of Haiti, summer rains may be seen as a disturbance, but here they are heaven-sent, due to the delay of this year’s summer rains which usually start in June. In the unirrigated mountain communities, it is too late to save the yellowing bean plants, and many of the corn fields, but perhaps some of this year’s crops can be salvaged.

Six months ago, the year started at HAS with several new initiatives.  The new UNICEF program, which is designed to prevent cases of malnutrition, and to increase the numbers of patients who are cared for at the community level, has successfully reduced referrals to the HAS malnutrition unit. The mountain farmers feel the impact of the drought, and as a result, rates of severe malnutrition are certain to increase.

The active collaboration with Partners in Health (PIH) has expanded to include exchanges among managers in the human resources, security and pharmacy departments, and also through joint planning for cholera services in this region. Plans for the management of a surge of cholera patients have been developed with PIH, the local offices of the Ministry of Health, and other volunteer organizations in this region. Nevertheless, we cannot predict the severity of this year’s cholera epidemic on our services, personnel and budget.

At the prosthetics clinic, where we had served over 1,200 clients in the prior 18 months, we began to provide orthotics services in January, for which there is a significant unmet need. The demand for services from patients requiring new limbs from Port au Prince appears to have been met, but the need has increased for services to patients in the two departments of Centre and Artibonite. At mid-year, we had exceeded our projected volumes by 12%. In July, the Medi Foundation from Germany sent a full-year P&O technician to support our four Haitian technicians, expanding the base of professional support for the HAS clinic.

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100 Holes for Haiti Golf Event (Thursday September 20th, 2012)

WHAT IS THIS EVENT? It is a joint fundraising venture of Canadian Friends of Hôpital Albert Schweitzer

and The Joy and Hope of Haiti. For this full day golf extravaganza golfers ask family, friends, and contacts to pledge money in support of the children of Haiti. Specifically the net profits (over $68,000 in 2011) are split equally between the maternal and child health program at HAS and the Stella House Orphanage operated by The Joy and Hope of Haiti.

HOW TO MAKE A DONATION:

If you are unable to participate as a golfer but would like to make a donation to the event simply:

- make a cheque out to “The Joy & Hope of Haiti” and mail it to Canadian Friends of HAS, c/o 27 Miles Court,

Hamilton ON L8P4G7

or

- go to http://cfhas.ca, click on “Donate”, scroll down and click on “Online Gift Form”. Once you have provided

the information required by Pay Pal make sure you click on “add special instructions to the seller” and type in 100

Holes for Haiti donation in the box. (Note: If you are supporting a particular golfer put that person’s name in the

box as well.)

WHAT IS THE EVENT LIKE FOR THE GOLFERS?

• Golf dawn to dusk at the exclusive Beverly Golf & Country Club (with a riding cart provided)

• Enjoy the freedom of playing on a course with at most 36 golfers on the course during the day

• Play as many holes as you wish – Go ahead and tee up 2 balls on the par 4s & 5s, 3 balls on the par 3s

• If you can total 100 holes or more receive a beautiful medal and have your name inscribed on a plaque

• Enjoy breakfast (buffet), lunch (hamburgers, sausages & salads) and dinner (prime rib or chicken)

• Treat yourself to snacks and drinks all day long

• Each golfer is expected to fundraise a minimum of $1,500

This is a unique opportunity to help the children of Haiti while enjoying golf at a beautiful private club. If you are interested in participating as a golfer contact Dave McKay (905-522-6218 / dmckay2@cogeco.ca) or Hal Devins (905-383-7153 / toleafs@shaw.ca).

Fun!! Fun!! Fun!! for the golfers. Satisfying!! Satisfying!! Satisfying!! for the donors.