The Auburn community responded to a cry for aid for victims of the Haiti earthquake, raising $2,000 to donate to the Red Cross for relief efforts in the poverty-stricken Caribbean nation.

The money came courtesy of donations at the Help Haiti Relief Fund Music Festival held last Saturday at the Auburn Avenue Theater, which featured performances by the Tacoma Voice of Praise Gospel Choir, the Nyabingi Drummers, Caribbean Vision Steel Drum Band, Jah Breeze, Crucialities, Unified Culture, Groove Fiery, the Laborers and Alex Duncan, as well as DJs Yo Breeze and DJ Qualifi.

The event was organized in part by local barber Randy Simon of the Auburn Valley Barber Shop, a native of the Caribbean nation of Antigua.

“This is not the first time I have gone out of the box and done something for those less fortunate than myself,” Simon said. “I think we all should try to do for others, not just ourselves. I notice that every time I’ve done the charity work, the very next day I’ve woken up with a smile on my face. It makes me feel good.”

In addition to Simon’s work, as well as members of the Northwest Caribbean Connection, the event was aided by: the City of Auburn, which donated the use of the theater; and Athens Pizza, Ivar’s Seafood bar and Fred Meyer, which all donated food for the event. The City also helped promote the event and worked out space, lighting and sound issues.

Simon said that he was pleased by the turnout at the event, and pleased that so many people choose to take a world view on charity, rather than confining their efforts to just aiding people within our borders.

“When I do hear something about helping someone outside of the USA, I look at it this way,” Simon said. “We are one earthquake away from the catastrophe that happened in Haiti. We are one disaster away from Katrina. So you have to sit back and take a look in the mirror and say, ‘Why not?’ The person looking back at you will tell you. The answer is there. You have to be able to step back and do something for the less fortunate. Other countries have much less than us.

“When I went to Nairobi, Kenya, I saw what poor really was,” he continued. “I told myself when I left that never again will I, in America, tell myself that I’m poor. Because I can open the cupboard and refrigerator and choose what is in there. When you can’t choose from what’s in there, because there is nothing there. That’s poor. The thing is that there is a plenty here. We have to utilize that. Our mindset in this country has to change somewhat.”