Featuring performers from Broadway, Recording Artists, and Grammy Award winners. A Silent Auction with high-end goods & services will be held prior to the concert at 6:00pm.

100% of the proceeds from this concert will be donated to Operation USA’s Haiti Earthquake relief efforts including the school rebuilding project in Jacmel.

Hosted by spoken word artist, Gha’il Rhodes Benjamin

Performers: Gordon Chambers, Antonio Edwards, Rosena Hill, Zoe Lyons Nieves, Marieann Meringolo, Maia Wilson, Luis Villabon, and Spiritus.

Monday, June 28
6:00 – 11:00pm
Joe’s Pub
425 Layfayette Street
New York, NY

Tickets: $30
Call 212-967-7555 to reserve, and for more information.

*Please note: purchase of a ticket does not guarantee a table.
Without reservations, people are seated on a first come/first served basis.

If you would like a table reservation, please request when you call.
Table reservations require a $12 drink/food minimum per person.

Directions: Subway – 6 to Astor Place & Lafayette St. / 4th Ave.
or N/R/W to 8th Street/NYU at Broadway

Parking Garage: 403 Lafayette St.
Limited Street Parking available after 6pm

Event generously presented by Unity of New York – A Spiritual Center for Creative Living.

June 8-26 Exhibit Proceeds to Benefit Operation USA’s Haitian Quake Relief Fund


Academy Award winning filmmaker Blake Edwards’ artwork will be exhibited at Leslie Sacks Fine Art in Brentwood from June 8 through June 26. This exhibition, entitled Lenses, will feature a selection of the artist’s paintings, drawings and sculpture. A portion of the proceeds from the show will benefit Operation USA’s Haitian Quake Relief Fund stated gallery founder Sacks and artist’s representative Amelia Edwards.

A special Invitational VIP Preview and Reception will be held at Leslie Sacks Fine Art on Saturday, June 5. Edwards and wife, Julie Andrews, are scheduled to be on hand to welcome the invited guests.



“It’s no surprise” said Leslie Sacks, “that Edwards has ‘the eye,’ but those not familiar with his artwork will be amazed by his remarkable facility as a painter and sculptor. This being said,” continued Sacks, “art is about more than mere facility. Blake Edwards is fascinated by every aspect of visual experience and this fascination is at the heart of his work, which is concerned with different ways of seeing and representing visual reality.”



“Much of Edward’s art work is abstract and geometric, and looks as though he’s rendering reality through complex lenses while revealing the geometry and functions of the lenses themselves. This observation is not to imply that Edwards consciously intends this optical metaphor, but real art reveals the artist and Blake Edwards, always being very much himself, consistently expresses that which he is and that which he loves, and he’s certainly had a long and passionate love affair with the lens,” concluded Sacks.



Edwards, internationally recognized for his creative and distinctive work, is a consummate filmmaker whose masterpieces run the gamut of emotions; Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Pink Panther, 10, Days of Wine and Roses, Victor Victoria, and his hysterical critique of Hollywood, S.O.B. are among his amazing 47 feature film body of work. 



“Blake Edwards shares his passion for art with his wife and muse, Julie Andrews” stated Operation USA founder Richard Walden. “These two artists are as passionate about humanistic concerns as they are about art. They have long been involved with Operation USA, which began flying emergency relief missions in 1979 to disaster stricken areas around the world and in the United States. This exhibition will benefit Operation USA’s ongoing effort to bring relief to the quake stricken people of Haiti.”

Leslie Sacks Fine Art
11640 San Vicente Blvd
Los Angeles (Brentwood), CA 90049
Tel. 310-820-9448
Website: www.lesliesacks.com

Operation USA will focus a good portion of its relief and recovery efforts in Jacmel—knowing it can make a significant impact in this smaller and somewhat overlooked community.

The first project to be confirmed is the rebuilding of the public school, Ecole Nationale Jacob Martin Henriquez.

Operation USA is partnering with Honeywell Hometown Solutions, the philanthropic organization of Honeywell Corporation, to reconstruct this primary school that will serve over 400 students (K-7) who couldn’t otherwise afford to go to school.

This project will be built in partnership with the City of Jacmel, with the support of its exceptional Mayor, Edwin Zenny—a nationally known anti-corruption figure and committed activist for Jacmel’s future.

This conference brings together experts in engineering, design, humanitarian programs, public health, and human rights to re-imagine the modern refugee camp. Based on Operation USA’s thirty years experience with refugee populations across the globe, the conference will center on the needs and experiences of those living within refugee camps for extended periods of time.

In light of the increased pressure from global climate change and continued displacement from war, famine, and natural disasters, Operation USA is one of the leading voices in an effort to to re-imagine the structure and function of refugee camps to incorporate evolving needs and on-the-ground realities.


”Rice industry members have responded with great generosity to help the people of Haiti recover from the earthquake,” USA Rice Federation President and CEO Betsy Ward said Thursday. 
”Since the tragedy struck, USA Rice member companies and affiliated organizations have donated funds and/or rice valued at an additional $653,000 for Haitian relief efforts, the largest amount ever donated by the U.S. rice industry toward an international humanitarian-relief effort,” Ward said.


Haiti was the fifth-largest U.S. rice market in 2009, importing 276,000 metric tons (MT) of its 400,000 MT consumption from the United States. Beginning in 1980, Haiti’s rice production began to decline just as its population exploded — growing from 5.7 million in 1980 to 10.2 million today. For the past five years, the country’s domestic rice production has averaged 100,000 MT — just one-quarter of its current annual rice consumption, which necessitates increased rice imports. Haiti’s lack of arable land and the need for investment in agricultural production have also contributed significantly to its inability to produce enough rice to fill the country’s needs.


Immediately after the January earthquake, the U.S. rice industry began working with officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide information on rice available in country and in position for export that could be procured for relief efforts. This swift action resulted in providing much needed food for many thousands of Haitians.


“The U.S. rice industry has long had a positive trade relationship with Haiti,” USA Rice Chairman Jamie Warshaw said. “The outpouring of goodwill for the Haitian people during this disaster has been tremendous. The rice industry has rallied behind relief efforts and will continue to do so as Haiti recovers from this tragedy.”

ENERTOPIA CORPORATION DONATES WATER PURIFICATION
UNIT TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF HAITI

LOS ANGELES, CA (March 22, 2010)—Los Angeles-based International relief agency Operation USA announced today that Enertopia Corporation (Enertopia / Over The Counter Market: GLCP) is donating a solar powered water purification unit to provide a semi-permanent drinking water solution for thousands of people in earthquake-ravaged Jacmel, Haiti.

Operation USA’s immediate disaster response in Haiti has focused on the most pressing medical needs due to the devastation of hospitals and medical facilities—facilitating the delivery of donated medical supplies. Now entering the next phase of recovery work, longer-term projects such as this are able to be implemented. This equipment is assembled in San Diego by Enertopia’s business partner Global Solar Water Power Systems (Global) and is funded by Enertopia Corporation, which is implementing its licensing agreement for the Global units and technology worldwide.

The Global/Enertopia solar powered water purification units are designed by Mark Snyder, President of Global and Enertopia’s Chief Technical Officer. The solar purification units are designed to provide filtered water at the rate of between 2,000 and 20,000 gallons per day depending on water quality and size of unit. They do not require any electrical generators or grid-supplied power, making them particularly beneficial in remote areas, or areas with poor infrastructure. Over 300 first-generation units are successfully providing over 600,000 Iraqi people with clean water every day.

“Enertopia is extremely happy to help rebuild the water infrastructure system in Haiti starting today, on World Water Day. We look forward to our growing partnership with Operation USA in Haiti and other locations around the world in need of clean, reliable drinking water,” said Rob McAllister, President of Enertopia Corporation.

“In these two months since the earthquake in Haiti, we have worked to get essential emergency aid into the hands of those who need it most. Our focus going forward into the recovery phase is water, energy, education and healthcare. It is especially gratifying to announce Enertopia’s generous donation on World Water Day. This will bring a tremendous and much-needed benefit to the City of Jacmel,” said Richard Walden, President and CEO of Operation USA.

HOW TO HELP:
Donate online at www.opusa.org, by phone at 1.800.678.7255 or, by check made out to Operation USA, 3617 Hayden Ave, Suite A, Culver City, CA 90232. Text AID to 50555 to donate $10. Corporate donations of bulk quantities of disaster-appropriate supplies are also being requested. Air miles can also be donated to Operation USA through United Airlines Charity Miles program at www.united.com.

About Enertopia
Enertopia (www.enertopia.com) is an emerging growth company specializing in the funding and development of both proven and new clean energy and clean water technologies. Specialties include heat recovery and design operations, Solar Thermal, and Solar PV. In addition Enertopia is executing its sales and marketing initiatives for the distribution rights from Global Solar Water Power Systems of a portable and scalable water purification unit Enertopia’s shares are traded on the Over The Counter market with symbol GLCP. For additional information, please visit www.enertopia.com or call Robert McAllister, President, Enertopia Corporation at 1.250.870.2219

About Operation USA
Operation USA is an international relief agency that helps communities at home and abroad overcome the effects of disasters, disease and endemic poverty by providing privately-funded relief, reconstruction and development aid. Since 1979, the Los Angeles-based Operation USA has worked in 99 countries, delivering over $350 million for relief and development projects. 


Operation USA estimates that it has sent over $4.3 million in donated medical, energy, food and shelter supplies to Haiti to date. With generous support from Honeywell Hometown Solutions, United Airlines, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, Inc., Ball Corporation, The Lincy Foundation and many other corporate supporters, the agency has sent eight air shipments and four sea containers of relief supplies to Haiti, getting essential pharmaceuticals, medical, emergency and shelter supplies, generators and light towers, as well as medical personnel to partner agencies on the ground in Port-au-Prince, as well as the equally hard-hit city of Jacmel.

###




Media Contact:
Pat Beechinor, Media Relations, Enertopia Corporation

403.463.4119 or beechinor@utopia2030.com

Alison Deknatel, Director of Communications, Operation USA

310.838.3455 or adeknatel@opusa.org

This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements which are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. The Company makes forward-looking public statements concerning its expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategy, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, including statements that include words such as “anticipate,” “if,” “believe,” “plan,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “could,” “should,” “will,” and other similar expressions that are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are estimates reflecting the Company’s best judgment based upon current information and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that other factors will not affect the accuracy of such forward-looking statements. Factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated by the Company include, but are not limited to, government regulation, managing and maintaining growth, the effect of adverse publicity, litigation, competition, access to capital, and other factors which may be identified from time to time in the Company’s public announcements and filings. The Company’s evaluation of alternative energy projects in the heat recovery, solar thermal, solar PV and water purification sectors provides no assurance that any particular project will have any material effect on the Company.

EN VISTA DEL RECIENTE TERREMOTO DE 8.8 GRADOS
OPERACION USA MANDARA AYUDA DE EMERGENCIA A CHILE

LOS ANGELES, CA (Sábado, 27 de Febrero, 2010) – Operación USA, una agencia humanitaria basada en Los Ángeles, anuncia hoy que mandara suministros médicos a Chile como parte de la respuesta humanitaria tras la devastación del terremoto.

El terremoto de 8.8 grados duro un minuto. Su epicentro estuvo a 90 kilómetros de Santiago, la capital de Chile. Mas de 140 personas han fallecido y un gran numero de edificios, carreteras, puentes,electricidad y teléfonos han sido destruidos. El evento también ha desatado una serie de alertas de tsunami en Hawaii y Japón.

Operación USA realiza una petición para donaciones de fondos monetarios. La organización también solicita donaciones corporativas en cantidad para ayuda medica, la cual enviara inmediatamente a la región desde su almacén en el Puerto de Los Ángeles.

COMO AYUDAR:
Se pueden hacer donaciones en línea a www.opusa.org o por teléfono al 1.800. 678.7255 o por medio de cheques hecho a nombre de Operación USA, 3617 Hayden Ave, Suite A, Culver City, CA 90232.

También puede enviar un mensaje telefónico al numero 50555 con la palabra REBUILD y donar $10 a los esfuerzos humanitarios de Operación USA en Chile.

Donaciones corporativas de materiales de emergencia en cantidades al por mayor también están siendo solicitadas. Millas aéreas también pueden ser donadas a Operación USA a través del programa de United Airlines Charity Miles en www.united.com

###

Media Contact:

Alison Deknatel
Director, Communications
adeknatel@opusa.org
310.838.3455

For Spanish-language:
Alessandra Valconi
Program Associate, Latin America and the Caribbean Programs
avalconi@opusa.org
323.627.2688
310.838.3455

OPERATION USA TO SEND EMERGENCY AID TO CHILE FOLLOWING 8.8 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE

LOS ANGELES, CA (February 27, 2010)—Los Angeles-based International relief agency Operation USA announced today that it will send medical aid to Chile as necessary as part of the relief efforts following the earthquake that hit last night.

The 8.8 quake hit off the coast of central Chile, about 200 miles southwest of Santiago, the capital. First reports count over 100 people dead, with numerous collapsed buildings and roads, phones and power grids—as well as tsunami warnings triggered as far away as Hawaii and Japan.

Operation USA appeals for donations of funds from the public. The organization also calls for bulk corporate donations of health care materials, which it will ship to the region from its base in the Port of Los Angeles.

HOW TO HELP:

Donate online at www.opusa.org, by phone at 1.800.678.7255 or, by check made out to Operation USA, 3617 Hayden Ave, Suite A, Culver City, CA 90232. 


Text REBUILD to 50555 and donate $10 to Operation USA’s disaster relief efforts in Chile.

Corporate donations of bulk quantities of disaster-appropriate supplies are also being requested. Air miles can also be donated to Operation USA through United Airlines Charity Miles program at www.united.com.

###

Media Contact :
Alison Deknatel
Director, Communications
adeknatel@opusa.org
310.838.3455

Richard Walden,
President & CEO
rwalden@opusa.org
310.838.3455

Thirty Days Later
Tuesday, February 16, 2010


Dear friends,


It is traditional in the Catholic faith to celebrate mass in remembrance of the dead after one month has passed. Today throughout Haiti, at 7 am, in what is left of the parishes of Port au Prince, this mass will be celebrated for the estimated 200,000 dead from the earthquake. In addition to these masses, President Preval has declared today to be a day of national fast, and the beginning of three days of national mourning. We are participating in this act of solidarity by offering mass at 7 am at Titayin, together with Bishop Dumas, at the burial place of the indigent and unknown dead from the earthquake. We ourselves have buried about 2,500 people there in the last 30 days.

 

After weeks of frenetic activity, we are returning to a state of equilibrium. Our hospital had become a trauma MASH unit, as had all other medical centers in Port au Prince that are still standing. We were able to offer about 30 surgeries a day at four sites (two in our hospital, one on our hospital grounds in a tent, and one at the St. Camillus Hospital, which we staffed for the emergency.) Many of these, sadly, were amputations – sometimes two for the same adult or child. 



To give an idea of the size of the problem, it is likely there are about 20,000 people now who have been amputated or who have orthopedic hardware screwed through their skin to the bone. Port au Prince has about 20 Haitian orthopedic surgeons, and visiting teams to Haiti will soon leave. All 20,000 need to be followed closely for removal of hardware, control of infection, reevaluation of the amputation, and of course for artificial limbs and rehabilitation. Obviously 20 surgeons will not be able to handle this load. We have worked closely with the St. Camillus Hospital so as to return our St. Damien Hospital to a pediatric center and to have a growing center for adults at St. Camillus. We hope together to be able to keep good tabs on the patients we have operated on, and hope to be able to provide well for them in the future. 



In collaboration with the Papal Nuncio, the president of the Haitian bishops conference, the local CARITAS office and the Italian Protezione Civile, we are setting up seven positions in the provinces, (especially since about 30% of the population has abandoned the capital) to be able to help enable access for these people to a medical system. We can do our best to follow a certain number patients from these sites, return them to Port au Prince for needed attention—by helicopter or land—and use these points as well for large distributions of food and educational materials for schools. We hope to continue to partner with St. Camillus and the Haitian bishops to strengthen a similar response within Port au Prince as well.


At Francisville, we are making a center for production of artificial limbs. Gena Hergaty hosted a meeting two days ago of 30 non-governmental organizations at our St. Germaine program, to determine the best collaboration for all those eager to invest in rehabilitation and physical therapy.



On the home front, Erin Kloos has made an exceptional recovery after being dug out of our crumbled Fr. Wasson Center. The funeral of her brother Ryan will be later this month in Phoenix. Fr. Craig Hightower celebrated the funeral of Molly Hightower, concelebrated by Fr. Phil Cleary. I hope I can arrange to leave Haiti for a few weeks at the end of February to see my father, and to visit both families for mass in their homes. 



We offered mass last Saturday for Molly and Ryan on top of the rubble of the Fr. Wasson Center on an altar made of fallen block, using chant and incense to honor Molly and Ryan and all who died in the earthquake, and to show our faith and hope, and determination to rebuild and continue our life giving mission.

 

The Fr. Wasson Center is being cleared by heavy government equipment, and we will rebuild a central administration center on the site, with a metal instead of cement framework, which are fast becoming popular here. We will also make an artistic monument to stand prominently on the corner, by a famous Haitian artist, dedicating the new center to Ryan and Molly and honoring all the victims of the earthquake.



In Tabarre our three areas of destruction were the perimeter walls, the tower, and the chapel. The Italian Protezzione Civile is clearing the debris, reinforcing the tower, rebuilding the chapel and rebuilding the walls. Additional internal non-structural damage to the hospital is being repaired by the Italian companies that made the initial installations (especially the central oxygen supply). The new maternity and neonatal program, born of necessity during the traumatic days following the quake, is following a good and logical course, and the rest of the hospital is returning to normal. 



Our surgical capacity will still be challenged as we tend to many postoperative children and new traumas. The cancer center got quite a boost, thanks to Sister Judy, as it is now a partner with the Danny Thomas Children’s Cancer Hospital in the USA. This will bring quite a help for development, diagnostic, training, material and medicines.

The St. Helene orphanage in Kenscoff was largely spared, but we were glad to see so much charitable activity on the part of the children, coming to the hospital to visit injured children and distributing food and supplies in the tent cities.


The Family Services team has been very attentive to vulnerable children in the tent cities and has elaborated a good plan for continued involvement. Future reports will be given on all these points I mention in this summary by the people involved.

 

We are still gathering the names of those who have died or disappeared in the rubble. We hope soon that Daniela, our temporary home correspondent, will be able to make a memorial page on the NPH website. We are very much struck with sorrow by the deaths of our colleagues or deaths in their families.



The St. Luke program has been valiant and tireless, and we suffered the loss of some staff and directors. We also suffered the loss of one third of our 18 street schools. We will resume school in tents, as soon as we have enough, and thanks to Artists for Peace and Justice, we are studying all aspects of rebuilding.



Everywhere around us there are huge social problems: woundedness, homlessness and hunger. There are wounded, homeless and hungry among our 800 employees (all programs combined, including St. Luke). This is made more dreadful by the advance of the rainy season. We had our first rain yesterday.



In a separate letter over the next few days, I will outline the investment we hope to make in addressing these three social problems and the rebuilding and advance of our own programs.



For today, please join us in mourning. Join us in prayers for the dead, for the living, for the future.


Thank you and God bless you,

Fr. Rick Frechette

 

Air shipments of essential medical supplies and personnel have been made possible by:

Ball Corporation
Honeywell Hometown Solutions
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, Inc.
United Airlines

Medical, shelter and emergency supplies have been donated by:

Acculogistics
Adoodle, Inc.
Adhezion Biomedical
Afflication Clothing
American Regent
American Apparel
Apotex Corp.
Berry Plastics
Boy Scouts, Long Beach
CAMSS Shelters
Carolina Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Cascade Designs
Cedars-Sinai Health System
Dava Pharmaceuticals
David L. Jones, DDS
Dennis Fire
Eco-Sounds Medical
Enertopia Corporation
Eloquest Health
Eton/Ears to the World
Global Services & Trade Inc.
Gregory Mountain Products
Hilti North America
Kaiser Permanente
Kloiber Family Foundation
Kombo Kart
Kubota Engines
Laughlin Cartrell
Mayday Industries
Moldex
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, Inc.
Natural Soap Formulas
Noonshin Malakzad Blanque
Pelican Products, Inc.
PL Developments
Precision Orthopedics
Safe Industries
SeQual Technologies Inc.
Servicon
Solar Integrated Tech
Solstice Neurosciences
Sterling Medical
Stewert Medical
StriPEN
Surgem, LLC
UCLA
Vitamin Angels
West-Ward Pharmaceuticals
Works Gloves