Big Easy benefit keeps on giving
Friends of Liberia’s benefit in New Orleans on Sept. 19 at The Columns Hotel on St. Charles Ave. initially netted $5,500. Thanks to the persistent efforts of Dr. Meda Colvin (RPCV Liberia), in her outreach to the New Orleans medical community, the checks kept coming in until the total is now more than $9,000.
She tells us that this is only the beginning. A big name local talent has offered to do a special concert in the city in the next couple of months. Stay tuned for that.
Friends of Liberia, in addition to its Ebola Task Force, is now recruiting members for Post-Ebola Task Force, which will identify needs and priorities for a Liberia recovering from the economic effects of this crisis.
Bill Martin speaks at benefit A lively benefit in New Orleans on Sept. 19 netted more than $5,500 for Ebola relief in Liberia. The Columns Hotel on St. Charles Ave. hosted more than 70 people, most of them from the New Orleans area. The guest speaker, Bill Martin, senior adviser to the Liberian Minister of Health, told the crowd that the new treatment centers now coming in from the United States will make a critical difference in how Ebola cases are separated and cared for. The shortage of beds in the few treatment centers available have put suspected and probable cases of Ebola too close to confirmed Ebola patients. The consequences for the spread of the disease have been tragic. Meditating for Peace in Jackson Square Bill has been a longtime hospital administrator, first at Phebe Hospital and School of Nursing near Gbarnga and later on the Mercy Ship in Africa. Now his role is to administer the Ministry’s Health Sector Pool Fund, which channels major national development funds to Liberia’s health priorities. He made it quite clear that the Ebola epidemic has exhausted Liberia’s resources. In the midst of the present crisis, Bill urged Friends of Liberia to begin looking to the future needs of Liberia, particularly in the health and educations sectors. He reminded the audience that schools are closed for the near future and that while health resources are focused on checking the spread of Ebola, women are dying unassisted in childbirth and children are at risk as cholera and malaria season approaches. The management of The Columns Hotel donated the receipts from other bars during the hours of our benefit for a total of nearly $300. FOL members donated artifacts, prints, baskets and material for a silent auction that brought in almost $1,500. Our thanks to auction donors Abigail and Bob Sebastian, Lucianne Phillips, Rocky Schwarz, Harmon Lisnow, Garrett Mason, Rob Urann, Blidi Stemm and Pat Reilly. Special thanks to Dr. Meda Colvin for bringing in the medical community of New Orleans. A copy of a medical report from Liberia Watercolors sold at the silent auction
