BRODHEAD - To those who know people impacted by the massive earthquake in Haiti Tuesday, the effects could be felt thousands of miles away in Green County.
Candace Curry, Brodhead, is worried about a large group of children in Port-au-Prince she had come to know.
Curry, a former teacher, and Terry Klossner, Albany, who attend the Monroe Bible Church, returned from a mission trip to the country Jan. 6.
While in Port-au-Prince, they worked with a school and an orphanage.
Curry hasn't been able to learn if any of the 200 children who attended the school or the 30 orphans are safe.
"I've been crying, worrying about the children," Curry said.
Klossner said she also thinks about the children.
"I'm concerned about everybody," she said, "but especially the children."
Curry hasn't been able to reach any of the people she met while working in Haiti. Most people in the country use cellular phones. The earthquake probably destroyed the towers, she said.
Curry wasn't surprised by pictures of the wide-spread devastation. She described the Haitian capital as a "concrete jungle built on a landfill."
As she watched news programs on television Tuesday and Wednesday she saw rubble where just a week ago she saw homes and buildings.
"The houses fell over like dominos," she said.
The houses in the area were homes to the students she and Klossner met. The students who attended the school live in shacks that have no foundation and very little support. The school where she and Klossner had worked in was poorly built. The contractor put bags of cement in some parts of the walls rather than opening the bags and mixing the cement.
First-graders through seventh-graders attended the school, she said.
The 30 orphans, who ranged in ages from 3 years old to 14 years old, lived in a three-story home.
"If the capitol building and cathedrals were destroyed, how much worse will it be for them," Klossner said.
Curry and Klossner spent about a week with the teachers and children. They saw children who were anxious and excited to learn.
"They're good kids. They studied hard and really wanted to learn," she said, of the students.
Klossner said the students did well in school.
"Most of them had been in school since they were 3 or 4 years old" she said.
The orphans had recently come to Port-au-Prince because their village had been destroyed by a flood.
People in Haiti struggle to get by every day, Curry said.
"Even in good times most people don't have electricity," she said. "They don't have running water.
"It's a very poor country. Things are bad already, but to have something like this happens makes it even worse."
Efforts are underway to help the victims of Tuesday's earthquake.
In a press release issued Wednesday by the South Central Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Red Cross announced it pledged an initial $1 million to help people in Haiti.
The Red Cross made available all of the relief supplies from its warehouse in Panama, which would provide basic needs for about 5,000 families.
In addition, a mobile texting service will help raise money for victims. Donors may text the word "HAITI" to 90999 and a donation of $10 will be given to the Red Cross.
Donations to the Red Cross can be sent to, American Red Cross P.O. Box 37243 Washington D.C., 20013 or by calling (800) 257-7575.
People who are concerned about a United States citizen living or traveling in another country can also call the U.S. Department of State for assistance at (888) 407-4747.
Candace Curry, Brodhead, is worried about a large group of children in Port-au-Prince she had come to know.
Curry, a former teacher, and Terry Klossner, Albany, who attend the Monroe Bible Church, returned from a mission trip to the country Jan. 6.
While in Port-au-Prince, they worked with a school and an orphanage.
Curry hasn't been able to learn if any of the 200 children who attended the school or the 30 orphans are safe.
"I've been crying, worrying about the children," Curry said.
Klossner said she also thinks about the children.
"I'm concerned about everybody," she said, "but especially the children."
Curry hasn't been able to reach any of the people she met while working in Haiti. Most people in the country use cellular phones. The earthquake probably destroyed the towers, she said.
Curry wasn't surprised by pictures of the wide-spread devastation. She described the Haitian capital as a "concrete jungle built on a landfill."
As she watched news programs on television Tuesday and Wednesday she saw rubble where just a week ago she saw homes and buildings.
"The houses fell over like dominos," she said.
The houses in the area were homes to the students she and Klossner met. The students who attended the school live in shacks that have no foundation and very little support. The school where she and Klossner had worked in was poorly built. The contractor put bags of cement in some parts of the walls rather than opening the bags and mixing the cement.
First-graders through seventh-graders attended the school, she said.
The 30 orphans, who ranged in ages from 3 years old to 14 years old, lived in a three-story home.
"If the capitol building and cathedrals were destroyed, how much worse will it be for them," Klossner said.
Curry and Klossner spent about a week with the teachers and children. They saw children who were anxious and excited to learn.
"They're good kids. They studied hard and really wanted to learn," she said, of the students.
Klossner said the students did well in school.
"Most of them had been in school since they were 3 or 4 years old" she said.
The orphans had recently come to Port-au-Prince because their village had been destroyed by a flood.
People in Haiti struggle to get by every day, Curry said.
"Even in good times most people don't have electricity," she said. "They don't have running water.
"It's a very poor country. Things are bad already, but to have something like this happens makes it even worse."
Efforts are underway to help the victims of Tuesday's earthquake.
In a press release issued Wednesday by the South Central Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Red Cross announced it pledged an initial $1 million to help people in Haiti.
The Red Cross made available all of the relief supplies from its warehouse in Panama, which would provide basic needs for about 5,000 families.
In addition, a mobile texting service will help raise money for victims. Donors may text the word "HAITI" to 90999 and a donation of $10 will be given to the Red Cross.
Donations to the Red Cross can be sent to, American Red Cross P.O. Box 37243 Washington D.C., 20013 or by calling (800) 257-7575.
People who are concerned about a United States citizen living or traveling in another country can also call the U.S. Department of State for assistance at (888) 407-4747.