POUGHKEEPSIE, NY—“N’ap Bouley – We’re on fire!” exclaimed Andrew Meade, co-founder of the Vassar Haiti Project and director of international services and special projects at Vassar. He said that if you ask any Haitian,  “Sak Pase?” or “how are you?” they will generally respond, “N’ap bouley!” or “I ‘m on fire!” - no matter how dire their circumstances.  Meade said that this fall, with the help of Trinity Episcopal Church in Fishkill, NY, another “on fire” relationship with the people of Chermaitre, Haiti, and the Hudson Valley has really taken off.

For three days, from November 13–15, the public will be able to join with the Trinity Episcopal Church and the Vassar Haiti Project to support a new medical initiative for the village of Chermaitre while doing some holiday shopping.

Offered for sale will be will be over 200 original Haitian paintings, silk scarves, jewelry, and iron sculpture. The sale will be open from 12:00 – 8:00pm on Friday, November 13, with an opening reception; 9:00am – 4:00pm on Saturday, November 14; and 12:00 – 3:00pm on Sunday, November 15.

All proceeds will go to support the Vassar Haiti Project's medical initiative. Trinity Episcopal Church is located at 1200 Main Street (Routes 9 and 52) in Fishkill, NY. Free parking is available near Taco Bell off Route 9 near the Route 52 intersection. For directions and to view the artwork, see www.trinityfishkill.org or http://projects.vassar.edu/haiti.

About the Vassar Haiti Project's Medical Inititiative

A visit to the village of Chermaitre in 2008 by a group of students from Vassar College and community members, included nurse Deb Hilliard of Trinity Episcopal Church. This visit revealed the total lack of medical care in the village and began the medical initiative for which Trinity Episcopal Church has agreed to spearhead. The medical initiative, in partnership with the Vassar Haiti Project, is dedicated to raising funds to support healthcare for adults and children in the Haitian village. For many of the Chermaitre inhabitants this care will be the first healthcare they have ever received.

The healthcare initiative is just one of many programs begun through the auspices of the Vassar Haiti project. Through previous art sales, the Vassar Haiti Project raised funds to complete construction of a seven-room school, replacing the previous one-classroom school.

The initial goal of the Vassar Haiti Project when it began in 2001 was to generate enough money to feed 150 school children one hot meal each day and to help pay teacher’s salaries in the remote, northwestern village of Chermaitre.

Working with students, faculty, and staff, Andrew Meade and his wife, project co-chair Lila Meade, who lived for many years in Haiti, organized an art sale of original Haitian paintings and handicrafts to support the project.  Over the years, the annual art sale has become a very popular event each spring at Vassar College, and far exceeding expectations, enabled the construction and outfitting of the new school. The school has become a magnet in the region and now has an enrollment above 250.

For further information about the Vassar Haiti Project, visit http://projects.vassar.edu/haiti. A video documenting the work of the Vassar Haiti Project, may be viewed on the website.

Trinity Church in Fishkill is a member parish of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, which is a diocese in the Episcopal Church in the United States. Founded in 1756, the original building was constructed in 1768 and is still used for worship today.

Vassar College is a highly selective, coeducational, independent, residential liberal arts college founded in 1861.