Six pairs of crutches and a cane are among the items Hardin-Simmons University students, faculty and staff donated to a Haiti relief effort. Donations were so numerous, they covered every table in one of the labs of the Sid Richardson Science Center as they were spread out for sorting.
Science professors Steven Rosscoe and Michelle Dose were the leaders of the collection. Rosscoe said he wanted to contribute something to the relief effort for Haiti and realized many other people on campus wanted to do the same, including colleague and associate professor of chemistry, Michelle Dose.
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Hardin-Simmons University science professors Steven Rosscoe and Michelle Dose headed up the collection of medical supplies and equipment to shipped to Haiti to help people left injured by the recent earthquake there.
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With the help of junior lab assistant Zach Rose, Dose and Rosscoe wrapped large boxes in paper and labeled them then distributed the boxes to seven locations around the campus. Every other day they emptied the boxes. In about 10 days, they managed to collect enough items to fill up 24 large boxes of supplies, which shipped to Haiti at the end of February.
Dose says the supplies will be distributed with the help of Project CURE (Commission on Urgent Relief & Equipment), which already has sent several shipments of supplies to the earthquake-ravaged Haiti.
Project CURE was founded in 1987 to help meet the need for medical supplies, equipment and services around the world. Project CURE builds sustainable healthcare infrastructure by providing the supplies and equipment medical personnel need to deliver healthcare.
Dose has worked with the organization in the past, so she knew it would be the perfect avenue to get the HSU donations into the hands of the people who need them.
Students, faculty and staff left grocery bags full of supplies in the collection boxes, Dose and Rosscoe noted.
“After three days, we realized we would not be able to count all of the items,” Dose said.
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Items included at least 100 boxes of toothpaste, dozens of toothbrushes, bandages, gauze, peroxide, baby wipes and diapers.
Holding up a box of Hannah Montana bandages, she said, “This is one of the funniest items we collected. Some little guy or girl in Haiti will enjoy these.”
The HSU donated supplies will be part of a sixth shipment by Project CURE to Haiti. Since its inception, Project CURE has delivered medical relief to needy people in more than 120 countries.
Steven Rosscoe said of the university collection of supplies, “We wanted to help, and we could.”
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