The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) and World Vision Canada announced today that more than $1 million has been raised through “Hockey for Haiti” to help rebuild a children’s hospital that was badly damaged in the January 12 earthquake.
Part of the proceeds have come from an ongoing auction of jerseys and other game-worn hockey memorabilia taking place on eBay.
Dan Hamhuis of the Nashville Predators and NHL veteran Georges Laraque, along with officials from the NHLPA and World Vision Canada visited the Grace Children’s Hospital in Port-au-Prince Wednesday to meet with patients, families and staff to share the good news.
“Returning to Haiti to see the situation in my homeland and at this hospital today has been an emotional experience for me,” said Laraque. “My goal is that Hockey for Haiti will bring hope to kids in Port-au-Prince who are going through so much.”
Hockey for Haiti is a joint initiative of Haitian-Canadian Georges Laraque, the NHLPA and World Vision Canada. It began with an initial donation of $100,000 from NHLPA Goals & Dreams. The NHL also donated $100,000. Private donations, plus all proceeds from the NHLPA jersey auction and other hockey memorabilia auctions, have brought the total amount raised to help rebuild the hospital past the million-dollar mark.
Grace Children’s Hospital, operated by International Child Care, is one of Haiti’s leading pediatric centres dedicated to the treatment of children with tuberculosis, HIV and other diseases. However, the cracked and crumbling facility is now unsafe to enter, and the inpatient ward is closed. The hospital’s staff is currently running an outpatient clinic from tents in the yard.
As part of the NHLPA’s ongoing online auction of 140 Olympic jerseys worn by NHL players during the 2010 Olympics, Team Russia and Czech Republic jerseys are on sale now – including the “White” jersey worn by Alexander Ovechkin in Russia’s February 18th game against Slovakia.
Over $150,000 has been raised through the NHLPA’s Olympic jersey auction to date.
Hockey fans still looking to obtain a piece of hockey history, while also bringing hope to Haitian children, can bid on Olympic jerseys through this link..
The auction runs until mid-June.
Fans can also make a donation directly to “Hockey for Haiti” through www.worldvision.ca/hockey.
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