By Mary O’KEEFE

A local Girl Scout troop continues to think of those in Haiti who have been injured and left homeless after the 7.0 earthquake left the country in ruins.
In January Brownie Troop 143-1 decided to donate some of their cookie money to those in need. They donated $500 to the Hospital Sacre Couer in Haiti, but they didn’t want to stop at there.  The girls saw how the earthquake affected the area and its people.
Elise Bauer had seen the reports of the injuries suffered by the victims and wanted to help.  Elise and her Brownie troop learned about Haiti and more about the earthquake and the devastation left in its wake. She also was moved by the conditions the victims, some of them children, were living in.
“They had made a hospital out of these tents,” she said of a video she had seen.
The Brownie troop, located at Holy Redeemer Catholic School, asked the Daisy Troop 1583-1 and Junior Girl Scout troops 55-1 and 873-1, also at the school, to join them in a parish-wide fundraiser.
Their event is called Hearts for Haiti and has become not just a fundraiser but also an outreach effort to those who are in the hospital.
“We are making hearts with words like Hope and Believe on them,” said Brownie Veronica Huntsable.
Many of the scouts have written inspirational messages while others have just wished them well and let them know they care.
On June 12-13 the troops will be requesting donations from Holy Redeemer parishioners.  The girls have also created paper hearts that those who donate can write on, adding their own personal wishes.
The hearts and any funds raised will be sent to the hospital.
“It makes them feel better,” Veronica said.
She added it made her feel better when she received get well cards when she is sick so she knows those in the hospital will feel the same way.
Brownie leader Michele Walker-Bauer said she hoped the efforts of the troops would inspire others to reach out to the Haitian community.
For information on the Hospital Sacre Couer in Haiti visit the website www.crudem.org.

  Crescenta, Haiti, Hearts