Please help me go to Haiti!

Dear readers:

I'M GOING TO HAITI!

A few weeks ago my friend Abby mentioned she wanted to join a volunteer organization and go to Haiti to help with the relief efforts. I've always wanted to participate in something like this, but at the time was unable to due to financial difficulties and conflicts with work. Un/fortunately, Abby's flight got cancelled, she had to reschedule and rearrange her plans, which has provided me with the opportunity to actually join her this time around. We've set our flight dates from April 28th to May 8th, and found an amazing organization to volunteer through: Hands On Disaster Response. HODR was actually already working on a mission down in Haiti, so they already have a grasp on the situation down there, and have the infrastructure and organizational tools needed to run relief efforts of this magnitude.

This time around, it just seems like things have fallen into place. I was nervous about requesting the time off from work, but everyone there was been pretty supportive of what I'm doing, so my biggest hurdle was easily overcome! Next up was getting our dates approved through the organization, to ensure they would have space for two overly-willing girls :) A day after requesting confirmation, Abby and I got what we wanted: they approved our dates!!

Since high school, I've always wanted to participate in a mission like this, to go abroad and help a community in need, but there was always something holding me back. But now, the only thing standing between me and Haiti, and being able to do something I've always wanted to do: getting the money to go.

So far, these are the expenses Abby and I have calculated:

• Flight: $500
• Vaccinations and malaria pills: $300
• Shuttle and misc expenses: $200
• (going to Haiti and helping out: priceless!)

Total goal: $1,000.00.

This is where each of you come in! As you've heard so many times before, any amount you can donate to help me get to Haiti is a huge help and is greatly appreciated. If you can donate, please send a check made out to Alexandra Armstrong to:

Alexandra M. Armstrong
Personal and Confidential
1010 W Chapman Ave, Suite 200
Orange, CA 92868

I know many of you have already donated to organizations like the Red Cross, but think of this as sending a personal emissary directly to the people of Haiti to help out! I will also be able to communicate via email while I'm there, so I promise to keep everyone informed of what Abby and I are doing, as well as updating occasional pictures and such.