Fundraising concert in aid of Sister Ann’s work
THERE will be a fundraising concert in Arklow later this month in aid of the work of Sister Ann Crawley.
Sister Ann works with the poor in Northern Haiti and the concert is being held to raise funds to help her work.
Recently the parishioners of Avoca, Arklow and Templerainey raised funds to help Sr Ann build a new house for a man and his sons who had lost his wife and other children to cholera.
Since arriving in Haiti nearly a decade ago, Sister Ann, who has spent her life as a missionary sister, has had over 150 houses built for the homeless and the builders who construct them are then in turn able to provide for their families from their pay.
She paid a visit home to Ireland in the summer and on her return she bought with her six suitcases full of clothes for her poor, €6,000 which was fundraised plus €2,000 received from Church collections and donations.
In a letter she said that: ‘This year’s storm season brought three hurricanes Matthew Maria and Irma which increased the struggle for the island’s poverty stricken population.
‘As homes were flooded, battered and broken survival became a real struggle. The extra money collected here provided food and medicine to feed the hungry, cold, wet and sick.
‘Despite the pain, the fear and shock of the hurricanes Sister Ann managed to get ‘Avoca house’ built from the funds raised here for Mr Baton, a disabled and partially blind man who had lost his wife and some of his family last year through cholera.
‘She had a bed made for him because of his special needs. It is general in Haiti that people sleep on the floor in their home.
‘Over the eight years Sister has had 168 houses built to improve the quality of life for the poor. Because she is in her 80th year she is aware that time is passing and wants to build as many as possible to protect the people against disease.’
As a result her friends and supporters have organised a fundraising concert in the Arklow Bay Hotel on Thursday, February 22. Both the Arklow Bay and the entertainers on the night have given their services free of charge. Tickets cost €10.