Local churches joined forces this past weekend to gather nonperishable goods to send to Haiti following its devastating earthquake.

From national reports, over 200,000 have been killed and more have been left homeless.

Tabernacle Baptist, Four Mile Baptist, Rosemary Baptist, First Baptist of Barnwell and Jordan Baptist Churches joined together to send needed items to Haiti.

They took donations on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 22 and 23, at the old Reid's parking lot in Barnwell.

Donations included bottled water, clothes, non-perishable food items, baby formula, diapers, medical supplies and first aid kits.
Donald Goode and the Rev. Michael O'Neal organized the event.

The organizers will have the donations hauled to the Haiti Saints of Sanctuary Church in Augusta, Ga. The church will then forward the donations to a participating church in Miami, Fla., Goode and O'Neal said.

From Miami, the donations will head to Haiti.

Although not associated with the groups collecting the items, the American Red Cross is accepted monetary donations at the same location, said Susan Anderson, the Allendale-Barnwell service center manager for the Greater Edisto chapter of the American Red Cross.

If anyone would like to make monetary donations can call (803) 259-5297 or log on to www.redcross.org. Donors may earmark donations for the International Relief Fund to help with the efforts in Haiti, Anderson said.