Panamanians and expats open their hearts to Haiti

Panama proved that it is a small country with a big heart as it  rushed to respond  to the Haiti  earthquake disaster with rescue teams and plane loads of emergency supplies.

Panama’s resident expats  also stepped forward by the thousand to send aid to the stricken survivors. 

First up to the plate was the Canadian Association of Panama, which within hours of the breaking news, and before the full scope of the ragedy was known, had purchased supplies of powdered milk, canned food and diapers.
They were quickly followed by hundreds of individuals who donated food items through collection centers and supermarkets or opened their purses and wallets to make donations to charities providing aird on the ground.
The biggest coordinated expat venture was launched by the Rotary Club with the cooperation of branches across the country to collect supplies for assisting homeless survivors in the weeks and months to come.
They set up collection centers for clothing, household supplies and food across the country and delivered it by road to Colon to be shipped by container to Haiti.
Jorge Abad of the Colon Cristobal Branch spread the word and his daughter, Lorena, who helped organize the event and delivery of the items to Colon.
In Panama Expat Explorers coordinator Laura Alexander rallied expats to participate and deliver supplies to Rincon Aleman restaurant where in less than 30 hours, food and clothing that filled a large SUV was collected
More supplies were dropped off at the Red Cross, and a truck load came in from Clayton to the Rotary Club’s Helping Haiti Headquarters on Via Porras.
James Carswell, president elect of the Rotary Club in Panama, traveled from Boquete to lend a hand and explain the Rotary initiative.
Many more expats donated directly to the aid agency bank accounts set up.
Said Laura Alexander: “I am very proud of the expat community’s response to this tragedy, and am sure it isn’t stopping here.”
Meanwhile Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper has been talking with President Ricardo Martinelli about how the two countries, soon to be united with a free trade agreement, can work together to help with the rebuilding of the shattered country.{jathumbnail off}