Posted online: Feb 9th, 2010

A well-known local business man has found a unique way to help the earthquake stricken country of Haiti.

Jim McLaughlin, from Muff is raffling off one of his prize heifers – worth between 2,500 and 3,000 euro – and the proceeds will buy vital medical equipment for the devastated area and its people.

Speaking to the Inish Times, Mr McLaughlin said he was motivated to help after he watched moving TV images of the despair and desolation caused by the January 12 earthquake. Over 150,000 people were killed with many more left homeless.

He said: “I saw people getting amputations without anaesthetic and saw all the reports about what the earthquake had done and I thought to myself ‘I’d really need to do something to help out there.’

“I was down at Carn Mart last Monday and got chatting to a few people about it and this idea came up. A few of them said they’d help so we gave ourselves ten days to raise 30,000 euro.

“We’ve already had a great response. There are 75 tickets, each of them 400 euro each. We intend to link up with one of the aid agencies and use the money raised to buy medical equipment which we will send over there. It’s a big job to try and raise all that money but we’re hopeful we can do it.”

The draw for the heifer will take place at Carndonagh Livestock Mart at 2pm on Monday, February 15.

A committee has been set up and anyone who wishes to enquire about raffle tickets can contact Jim McLaughlin on 0872338380; John Byrne, Malin on 0862507380; Bobby Allan, Ture, Muff on 0868229603 and Colm McLaughlin (Hatter) on 0868264950.