GEDA - 7 a side for Haiti

24 February 2010

Football tournament to raise money for Concern's relief effots in Haiti involving local businesses.

The 7 a side football tournament on 26^th March in the Mid Ulster Sports Arena at Loughrey (Cookstown) is in aid of Haiti after the earthquake devastated the region and the money will go there via Concern Worldwide. Concern Worldwide is well established in Haiti and in fact have suffered directly through the loss of some staff in the tragedy.

We would like to invite local businesses / groups to put forward a team and donate to this worthwhile cause. A web page www.justgiving.com/GEDA has been set up for donations and team information.

Many thanks in anticipation of your support.

Dominic MacSorley, originally from Belfast and a member of Concern's emergency response team flew from their New York office to Haiti immediately after the earthquake hit. He got in touch with Concern Belfast to say:

“I’ve been here 3 weeks and the one thing that keeps us all going is when we hear of all the support and funds being raised back home – it’s really great.  I realised how important all that support is, especially yesterday when I went to the hospital in Port au Prince. T he hospital was damaged in the earthquake and so people are afraid to go inside. So there are tents set up around in the car park and the garden. Concern has a special tent there to treat children who are malnourished - there are 15 very skinny and sick children in the tent that are being fed special healthy foods to make them better. One wee boy is there on his own as his mother and father were killed - his name is Pierre (see photo) and thankfully he is getting better. Soon he will be able to go to a special centre for orphan children. He is smiling but still a bit weak and when I handed him my finger he didn’t have the strength to grab it –but he will be much better soon”.