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February 8, 2010

Local hockey families band together for Haiti

By Ryan Casey | Arizona Rubber

The devastation of a magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Haiti hit home for one Arizona hockey family. Now, together with other members of its hockey community, it's leading an effort send supplies to the Caribbean country.

Maurice Dubuisson and his wife, both Haitian natives, lost 13 family members in the earthquake. When Joycelee Burke heard the news, she called him and immediately went over ways to help.

That's when "Hockey 4 Haiti" -- now a coordinated relief effort at rinks across the Valley -- was hatched.

"We're going to do it for his remaining family down there, their friends around there and then their neighbors," Burke said.

Supplies are being collected this month at the Ice Den and all three Polar Ice locations (Gilbert, Peoria and Chandler). As of the last week of January, Oceanside, Arcadia and Ozzie Ice were also set to take part in the cause. Donations are also being accepted at the Wilhelm Automotive Service Center's five locations in Goodyear, Surprise, Litchfield, Peoria and Cave Creek.

Hockey 4 Haiti is collecting the following items:

- Food (dry beans, rice, pasta, tuna, energy bars, cans with tabs and no-prep soup)

-Medical (hand sanitizer, soap, peroxide, bandages, pain relievers, children's Tylenol or similar and empty prescription bottles)

- Hygiene (soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, feminine products, razors and shaving cream)

- Infant/toddler (diapers, wipes, formula, bottles and baby food)

- Clothing, infant to adult - keep warm climate in mind (underwear, socks, shoes and other clothing)

- Power (candles, matches, flashlights, batteries and small lanterns)

- Shelter (towels, washcloths, sheets, blankets, tents, tarps and zip lock bags)

Items can be dropped off at any participating rink.

Dubuisson's son, Mendell, plays for the Jr. Coyotes' Pee Wee '97 AAA team. Burke's son, Nathan, is a former teammate who now plays on CAHA's Pee Wee '98 AA team.

Together, they brought on Gina Sanchez (son, Jared, plays for CAHA's Pee Wee '98 AA), Angela Koumontzis (son, Alex, plays for CAHA's Pee Wee '97 AAA) and Julie Wilson (son, Jackson, plays for CAHA's Bantams).

The Dubuissons' family lives in Jacmel, roughly 20 miles south of Haiti's capital city of Port-au-Prince and Pétionville, which sits five miles to the east of the capital. Burke said that 75 percent of the city of Jacmel is destroyed, with the earthquake killing roughly half of its inhabitants.

Pétionville, she said, is 90 percent destroyed, with a death toll hovering around 80 percent.

In late January, Dubuisson made a primary shipment of 18 boxes of supplies. They were dispersed in less than 10 minutes.

"They were obviously appreciative of the boxes they received, and anymore they can get would be even better," Burke said.

"The aid is not getting to all the areas," she added. "Even though there are a lot of dollars and a lot of stuff going there, it's not getting to (the Jacmel region), and that's our goal."

Donation efforts, which started the last week of January, were set to continue for 4-6 weeks, Burke said, though they may extend further depending on need.

For more information on Hockey 4 Haiti, e-mail Hockey4Haiti@aol.com.