Christmas Carol Video Images from Starthrower Foundation

The season of good will to all: Merry Christmas from Starthrower Foundation!

As this challenging year comes to a close, let us remember that for the people of Haiti, every year is a challenging year.

Young adults, especially, have a very difficult time finding their way in the world. Many of them are orphans who are trying to support themselves as well as other family members. Any help we can give them, no matter how simple or how generous, is very much appreciated.

Any challenges we face pale in comparison to the ones that they handle on a daily basis.

Help us give them their daily bread, today and every day.

Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving USA Update from Starthrower Foundation

Hello Everyone,

Here's a brief update from Starthrower Foundation on American Thanksgiving Day 2008.

Sharon Gaskell
Sharon traveled to Toronto on Monday for her check up at St. Michael's Hospital, where her constant companion for these many weeks, a vacuum pump, was disconnected and removed.

Sharon continues to recuperate at home in Orangeville, Ontario, Canada, and, with the help of a physiotherapist and her own doctor there, is working on regaining muscle strength over the coming weeks before her next scheduled surgeries in mid-January.

While access to email is limited, she can be contacted by phone at 519-943-0114. Visitors are welcome, but please phone first.

Sister Rosemary
Sister Rosemary is returning to Haiti as planned on December 10, and has agreed to work from Lakay Fondasyon in Cap-Haitien for the foreseeable future.

Special thanks to her for all her help these past months -- from her care of Sharon in Haiti, and Toronto, and in Orangeville, for the many miles she drove to and from Toronto to tend to Sharon's needs, including driving her to medical appointments and arranging a place for Sharon to stay while in Toronto on those appointments, and her twice daily phone calls to make sure Sharon was okay.

University Students Sponsorships
With the exception of a few post-secondary students who currently have sponsors for the near future, Starthrower will no longer arrange any post-secondary student assistance, but instead focus on sponsoring students in high school and apprenticeships in order to make the best use of limited funds.

Thank you, Everyone, for your support these past few, difficult months. Starthrower is most thankful for your help, donations, and words of advice and encouragement as we work together to support our students in Haiti.

Starthrower Foundation 2008-2009 Board members are posted at http://www.starthrowerfoundation.org/mission.html

Happy Thanksgiving, America!

Lakay Fondasyon, Cap-Haitien Haiti News, Shipping to Haiti, Christmas Project

Hello Everyone,

Auguste, who continues to operate Lakay Fondasyon, Starthrower Foundation's center in Cap-Haitien, Haiti, while Sharon Gaskell is in Canada recovering from surgery(ies), sends this news about sponsored students.

[Sharon had gone into hospital then returned to Toronto prior to completion of students registrations for school for the fall term; Haiti's summer of hurricanes and resulting storm damage had prompted Haiti school authorities to extend enrollment dates one month.] Auguste has been studying English, so he is able to communicate with non-Kreyol speakers.

This year we have 97 students: Girls 46; Boys 51

• Cap-Haitien: Girls 22; Boys 23
• Sen-Rafayel: Girls 22; Boys 22
• University : Girl 1; Boys 3
• University waiting list*: Girl 1; Boys 3 *These 4 students are not good for enter in the university [They did not pass exams.]

Yes, I distributed the bag food to students.

About the students they are no good, no bad, only they are not sick. They are going to school, but for eating, it very difficult for Haitian people.

I am praying for you and I wish you a good job.

Blessings !

Auguste

And news from Sharon Gaskell:

Thank you, everyone, for your support and kind words, and for your continued support of the students in Haiti. This [unexpected illness and return to Canada] is precisely why I have been training staff over the years to take over in my absence and continue to operate.

Starthrower Foundation is not about me. It is about the students and the center in Haiti. I know Auguste will do a good job. As nice as he sounds in email, he is twice as nice and caring in person.

And thanks to Mme Cindy and her 'helpers' in Pennsylvania for their Christmas project for Starthrower. I have every confidence they can work with Lakay Fondasyon staff in my absence.

Blessings!
Sharon

If you wish to donate to the Christmas project or to help with the food program, you may do so using the Canada Helps or Paypal donate buttons.

Shipping to Haiti
We received news that CASCO now has a minimum charge for shipping to Haiti. If you are planning to ship goods to Haiti, please phone or fax them for details as it may be more economical to wait until your shipment reaches the minimum (i.e. send 3 boxes for the same cost as one box):

CASCO website: CASCO
Mail: 1801 SW 1st Ave,Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315 USA
Phone: (954) 525-1717 | Fax: (954) 525-1317

Posted by: Karen
Starthrower Admin.

Starthrower Students in Haiti, Hospital Update Sharon in Toronto

Hello Everyone,

Week Two in St, Michael's Hospital: Sharon's health continues to gradually improve. Even though the crisis period has passed, her condition is still very much day-to-day, with some days much better than others, if she's had energy-draining testing and scans and various procedures to track issues following her surgeries.


If you've ever been in hospital yourself, you will recall that institution life is not the most conducive to rest, and you sleep when you can. Because of this, Sharon is not up to receiving visitors while undergoing active treatment and recuperation, but I did pass on your messages. Thank you for your support.

And many thanks, too, to those of you who have been Starthrower's 'memory' of details large and small: Donors who continue to sponsor our students in school and university; Maureen, who thought to ask us about the ongoing need for cat food (Natural Choice for Cats, not available in Haiti) and will include it in the box of vitamins, etc she will ship to the staff in Cap-Haitien; Sister Rosemary for stepping up to the plate in timely fashion then and now, and when she returns to Haiti in a few weeks.

Rest assured that Sharon has arranged for Starthrower's center in Haiti to continue operating in her absence. If you have any questions or happen to think of something we may have overlooked at this time, please do not hesitate to email us at the Starthrower address.

When Sharon and I set out to establish Starthrower Foundation, we were determined that one of the things is was NOT to be was yet another charity that worked in Haiti for a few years, then left when the going got tough. Sharon had witnessed the lives of these 'abandonded' kids, and resolved then and there that Starthrower would be in Haiti for the long haul.

This is one of those tough times, tougher than normal as, more than usual, it involves Sharon's own life and health. In addition to trying to recover from her illness, she is also worrying about those left behind in Haiti. Though she is here in Toronto, the needs of the kids in Haiti continue. They still need food, water, shelter and support, medical services and tuition. Please continue to help us help them.

These are trying times for Starthrower, and for the global community. When you have a minute, see this excellent post on Ireland-based Statcounter.com Blog, written by one of their staff for blog action day to give perspective to the current economic situation.

Karen

Sharon Gaskell Visit St. Michael's Hospital Toronto

Hello Everyone,

It was a great relief to visit with Sharon yesterday afternoon at St. Michael's Hospital (picture) in Toronto. She is still heavily medicated and undergoing treatment for three (3!) bacterial infections, as well as continuing treatment following her surgery, but her responses are most encouraging. I even managed to elicit several good smiles from her!

At this time, however, like most post-surgery patients, Sharon is really not up to visiting. In the coming few weeks, as her health continues to improve, this will likely change. For now, cards and letters of support and news would really help boost her spirits. The mailing address is:

Sharon Gaskell
Patient Room 96
30 Bond Street, Toronto, Ontario
M5B 1W8
Canada

Sharon and her family, Sister Rosemary and doctors are deciding how best to arrange Sharon's recuperation phase. As soon as plans are made, I will let you know. Though it is still early days (hard to believe this time last week she was flying to Toronto from Cap-Haitien!), and the situation can change, at this time Sharon is slated to have another operation just after Christmas. Following her recovery from that surgery, she plans to return to Haiti to continue her work, likely in the Spring.

Prior to going into hospital in Cap-Haitien, Sharon made arrangements for the staff to continue administration at Lakay Fondasyon, Starthrower's center in Haiti, and the staff has been in regular contact with Sister Rosemary in Toronto.

I passed along to her your good wishes and prayers. I will let you know as soon as Sharon is able to receive calls and access emails.

Thank you all for your support, and please keep it coming. Sharon is as committed as always to continuing her work with Starthrower Foundation in Haiti.