New Market church sends corn to Haiti

St. Nicholas Parish in New Market is working to help residents of Haiti, where summer hurricanes have devastated an already impoverished population.

Farmers from the parish recently sent 10 tons of corn to Haiti, to be used to feed people in the slum areas of Cite Soleil, a suburb of Port au Prince, to schools and orphanages in Haiti and to any other areas where the bishop of Port au Prince sees a need. Leander Wagner and Tim Chlan from St. Nicholas Parish loaded the truck with help from the cooperative.

The corn was loaded onto a semi-trailer Thursday, Oct. 21, at the Minnesota Valley Co-op in Webster, and sent to Rochester. There, it was loaded onto a railroad container, along with some grinders donated by a Rochester group and other needed items, shipped by rail to Florida, then sent on to Haiti.

MN Valley Ag Coop Supply donated the bagging, Roy Howe and Ben Zweber

Leander Wagner, who helped coordinate the project, said the corn came from his farm, along with those of Ken Chlan, Randy Wagner, Charles Friedges, Tom Wagner, Leon Zweber and Scott and Todd Henry. Roy Howe and Ben Zweber paid for the bags, with Minnesota Valley Ag Co-op Supply donating the bagging.

In addition, the New Market Knights of Columbus has been raising funds for a water tanker which will bring fresh water into the slums of Port au Prince, where the water system is inoperative.

Father Bernard Reiser, pastor at St. Nicholas, has worked with Brother De Paul at missions in Haiti on several occasions. He said the parish has set up a fund for donations. Anyone wishing to donate can send contributions to St. Nicholas Church-Haiti Fund, 51 Church St., New Market, MN 55054