When the earthquake devastated Haiti in January 2010, the world responded with an outpouring of aid.
Quesnel was no exception.
One woman, Izabella Zalewski, launched a drive to collect items for an orphanage, God’s Littlest Angels, in the mountains above Petion-Ville, close to the village of Fermathe.
She was overwhelmed after 210 boxes of supplies were collected. Making the necessary arrangements, Zalewski connected with an international organization in Colorado Springs, Co. to ship the boxes to the orphanage.
Calgarian Shawnee Griscowsky watched in horror clutching her children, as the disaster created by the earthquake unfolded.
Three of her four adopted children were from God’s Littlest Angels orphanage in Haiti.
She and her husband adopted Maya in 1999 who is now 12, Emma, 11 and Cohle, 8. Their youngest child, Maggie, 3 was adopted from Las Vegas.
“She was devastated. The orphanage was badly damaged,” Doris Bartkow (Cave) of Quesnel, Shawnee’s grandmother, said.
Compelled to help, Shawnee and Maya joined seven others from Calgary on a mission to volunteer help in unpacking and distributing aid. The Griscowsky women headed straight to the orphanage where they found deplorable conditions.
“Shawnee said it hadn’t taken long for the vermin to move into the damaged part of the building,” Doris said.
“Even today, they are moved to tears by what they witnessed.”
As Shawnee helped unpack boxes, she noticed five large boxes labeled Quesnel.
Inside she found diapers, blankets and a host of other supplies desperately needed by the orphanage.
“She couldn’t believe she was opening a box packed by people in Quesnel,” Doris said.
She told her grandmother, “I’ve never been more excited to see a box.”
Shawnee hopes to return to Haiti and if possible, Doris would like to join her.
“It was a relief to know the little children were getting help thanks to the generosity of people in Quesnel,” Doris said.
“I’m very proud of Shawnee and her husband, they’re great parents.”