Tree Sale to Benefit Haiti Missions Trip

HUNTINGTON, IN -- Huntington College students will sponsor a Christmas tree sale at the Huntington Walmart in coming weeks. Proceeds will benefit the students' missions trip to Haiti during the College's January Term.

Both White and Scotch pines will be available. Sale hours are 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on November 24 and 25; 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on December 1; and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on December 2. Prices start at $15.

Wayne Fox of Huntington Nursery is assisting the students in obtaining trees for the sale.

During January Term, Huntington College students will travel to the Haitian village of St. Ard to assist local missionaries with a variety of work projects. Some will work alongside teachers in high school English classes. Others will minister to children in an orphanage. Still others will participate in a variety of construction projects, including the completion of a medical clinic. Some students will also provide support services to traveling medical clinics.

Along with these responsibilities will come opportunities to study the language, history, and culture of the Haitian people and to gain an increased awareness of the needs of the Third World.

The trip will be led by Dr. William Webb, a Huntington physician and parent of H.C. student Matt Webb. Dr. Webb has served on similar medical missions for many years.

"The Christmas tree fund-raiser will be for students' travel expenses, but we hope to raise quite a bit more for construction supplies, educational materials, medicines, and clothing for the orphans," said Webb. "During my last trip to Haiti, we treated 2,000 people in 5 villages over the course of 2 weeks. We required $3,000 in medicines and medical supplies alone."

"We will also be leading music at several remote churches. If anyone in the community would like to donate a portable keyboard to a Haitian church, we'll take it with us."

Dr. Winfield Wetherbee of Huntington College's Department of Mathematics will also participate and will supervise the academic portions of the trip. Huntington College students may earn up to 2 credit hours for the experience.

The Haiti trip is one of many intensive learning opportunities available at Huntington College during January Term. Other off-campus courses include England Yesterday and Today, taught in London by Dr. Dwight Brautigam, and Jamaican Culture and Geography, taught in Jamaica by Dr. Steven Lee. Other H.C. students will study Outdoor Environmental Education at Michigan's Camp Michindo. Still others will participate in the Minimester in Nuclear Science at the Oak Ridge research facility in Tennessee.

Media Advisory: Dr. Webb will meet with students to plan for the Haiti trip on Tuesday, Nov. 21, at 8:30 p.m. in the Baker/Roush Residence Hall lounge. Students will tie-dye T-shirts for the trip. Photographers are welcome.