Local family sparks $75,000 in aid for Haiti

Jeremiah and his sister, Madeline, help decorate during the Haiti relief bake sale organized by their mother, Jennifer Larson. The 7.0-quake that rocked Haiti sent waves of heartache around the globe.

For Camano Island resident Jennifer Larson and her family, the news “really hit home.”

She and her husband, Aaron Larson, adopted a young Haitian boy in December 2008 from an orphanage outside of Port-au-Prince supported by the nonprofit Chances for Children.

Jeremiah “Ansito” Larson, 3, has settled into his new life in a loving home with four siblings, Kaitlin, 9; A.J., 8; Madeline, 7; and Luke, 4.

“The first couple of days after the quake I sat on the couch and cried,” said Jennifer Larson. “I wanted to do something.”

She turned to the kitchen.

With help of friends, Larson made 20 loaves of banana bread and sold them to neighbors on the south end of the island. Going door to door, Larson raised more than $200 in one evening.

PHOTO BY ADAM STEWART | STANWOOD/CAMANO NEWS Inspired by the support, Larson hosted a bake sale at her house last weekend.

Donations of baked goods from neighbors, teachers at Elger Bay Elementary, Camano Chapel church members, IGACamano Plaza, QFC, Starbucks, Haggen and Scandia Bakery filled her garage and driveway.

“The bake sale was a group effort,” said Larson. “We wouldn’t have been able to pull it off without all the love and support from the community.”

The two-day sale raised more than $7,000. Visitors at the sale had the option to donate to three charities: Red Cross, Chances for Children, or Catholic Relief Services.

Word spread about the sale through friends, relatives and community groups through the social networking groups Facebook and Twitter.

“People from Seattle vacationing at Cama Beach even stopped by to donate,” said Larson. “The turnout was amazing.”

Larson’s initial efforts caught the attention of the Everett Clinic, where she works part-time. Her sister, Katie Riehl, and their mother, Robin Vogl, also work at the clinic.

The clinic offered to match donations for Haiti relief up to $25,000 through the Everett Clinic Foundation, said spokeswoman April Zepeda.

“The clinic wanted to support Jennifer’s efforts,” said Zepeda.

The combined total of Larson’s bake sale and donations from doctors and staff at the clinic was $47,147. With matching funds, the foundation raised $72,147.

That was before another bake sale hosted by Larson in the Monte Cristo room of the Everett Clinic Conference Center on Friday where another $2,500 was raised.

“Jennifer’s connection to Haiti brought everyone a little closer to the issue,” said Zepeda.

A few loaves of banana bread quickly turned into $75,000 for relief.

“It goes to show what one person can do,” said Riehl.

Larson doesn’t take all the credit.

“We all made an effort and look what happened,” she said. “Sometimes you just have to ask for support.”

Staff Reporter Adam Stewart: 629-8066 ext. 115 or astewart@scnews.com.