Trinity Community Raises Support for Haiti

Responding quickly to the news of the devastating earthquake in Haiti in January, student, staff, and faculty leaders met with President Steve Timmermans to figure out a way to help. Out of that meeting came plans for the Haitian Relief Benefit Concert featuring the a cappella group Supremacy 4 on February 5.

Nearly 300 people attended and enjoyed the featured group in addition to Trinity’s Gospel Choir, Outcry, and Sisters in Unity. Proceeds totaling nearly $8,000 from the concert, as well as other on- campus fundraisers, have been divided between four organizations: the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC); Elim Christian School, in Palos Heights, Illinois, where students assembled Hope Packs for Haiti, filled with food and supplies; Mission of Hope Haiti; and Vision of Hope Ministries. Representatives from each organization were present to provide information after the concert.

Liz Metcalfe ’83, head women’s basketball coach at Trinity, taught for three years in Port-au-Prince at the Quisqueya Christian School, which suffered no damage during the earthquake but has become an oasis in the devastation. Metcalfe shared news from the school with the audience.

According to reports, the chapel is being used as a hospital/surgical room; the Pre-K/Kindergarten area is occupied by children from a local orphanage that was destroyed by the quake; and the soccer field has become a temporary tent city for staff and national workers. The basketball court, where Metcalfe coached her first basketball game 27 years ago, serves as a trauma center and a place for the distribution of food and water.

On January 23, in home conference basketball contests against Trinity International University, the Trolls raised $1,400 through ticket and concession proceeds, t-shirt sales by the volleyball team, and donation collection. The money was combined with the other fundraising efforts on campus.