They hope concert can make a difference for a devastated Haiti
When Pete Lowe of the Lord of Life Band wrote the song "We Can Change," he had no idea his lyrics would become the theme of a fundraiser for a devastated, earthquake-ravaged country.
"We Can Change the World" will be the topic of the Feb. 5 concert benefiting Project Haiti and the American Red Cross.
"I just have a goal of making a difference," Lowe said.
The Lord of Life Band, along with some special guest musicians, will play original and current Christian rock music. Dr. Paul Severson, a surgeon at Cuyuna Regional Medical Center, will give a presentation on Project Haiti, an organization started more than 20 years ago by volunteers in the Crosby and Aitkin areas. Project Haiti provides medical expertise and support to a charity hospital it helped establish in Pignon, Haiti.
Brainerd Dispatch/Kelly HumphreyThe Lord of Life Band practiced Wednesday night for the concert benefiting Project Haiti and the American Red Cross. The benefit concert will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 5 at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Baxter.
Severson said through the years about 450 volunteers from the Brainerd lakes area have gone to Haiti through the organization.
"The more people we brought, the more need we found," Severson said.
Since the earthquake hit on Jan. 12, Severson stopped practicing medicine and became a coordinator for volunteer medical groups from around the country wanting to help.
"I devoted every hour I could stay awake to coordinating teams there," said Severson, who went back to work at CRMC on Wednesday.
Project Haiti has sent 7 tons of medical supplies and teams of surgeons, orthopedic specialists and emergency physicians to the affected areas.
"Hundreds of doctors volunteered from around the country to go," Severson said.
There was no damage to the Pignon charity hospital Project Haiti helped build and Severson said all of his closest Haitian friends are alive. He plans to go to Haiti in March, when he expects most of the media buzz and outpouring of support will have faded.
"There are thousands of people who have lost their limbs. There is no infrastructure for these people. No insurance. No physical therapists," Severson said. "We don't know how we're going to take care of these people ... Our team from Minnesota will have to sit down with them, work with them closely, and help them recover."
Severson said monetary donations from individuals and groups as well as donations of medical supplies from area hospitals for Project Haiti have been considerable.
"It's been wonderful to see the response from citizens in the Brainerd lakes area."
The Haiti benefit concert will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 5 at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Baxter. Admission is free and all donations will be given to Project Haiti and the American Red Cross.
"If we come together as a group, a lot of small donations can make a huge difference for the relief efforts in Haiti," Lowe said.
For more information on Project Haiti, visit www.projecthaiti.info. Donations can be made online, or sent to Project Haiti, 123 Minnesota Avenue, Aitkin, MN 56431.
And, a 10-member Brainerd area medical team plans to head to Haiti as early as next week to provide medical services for Haiti earthquake victims. Details on their trip are being worked out and more information is expected Friday.
HEIDI LAKE may be reached at heidi.lake@brainerddispatch.com or at 855-5879.