OU Students Sending Help to Haiti One Step at a Time

Across the metro, many people are stepping up to help Haiti. One OU student's plan to make a difference is really picking up speed.

Sunday, January 24th 2010, 6:23 pm

By: News 9


By Jacqueline Sit, NEWS 9

NORMAN, Oklahoma -- Across the metro, many people are stepping up to help Haiti. One OU student's plan to make a difference is really picking up speed.

The idea is as simple as putting one foot in front of the other. OU student Jourdan Selim-Guyton single handedly started promoting the Hearts for Haiti walkathon just a few days ago and about 700 people have already signed up.

Students were spreading the word about the walkathon that will help with the Red Cross and Haitian relief efforts. They've been out in full force, passing out flyers, chalking windows and posting the details on social networking Web sites.

So far, students from OU, UCO and several high schools in the metro are showing their support in the cause and the list is growing by the day.

"Of course we dream of it. You hope it's going to be the biggest ever and raise millions of dollars. I really didn't think that people would be so giving ad open and help and I figured out throughout this process, if you just ask, they're going to help you especially for something like this," said Jourdan Selim-Guyton.

She said she was inspired knowing she was helping another student whose family is from Haiti.

"I didn't know Jeremy but just to hear what he's going through and what his family is going though, it touches my heart, it reassures me why I'm doing this," said Selim-Guyton.

Jeremy Canez, an OU student, was in Haiti for the very first time visiting the place where his father grew up and where his family lives. Two weeks later, the earthquake struck.

"It is beyond explanation how hard it is. I've been glued to CNN in my dorm room and every update is more gut wrenching than the one before," Canez said.

Canez said his loved ones weren't hurt but since he can't fly to Haiti, he is grateful he can send help along with other OU students one step at a time with the walkathon.

The Hearts for Haiti Walkathon will kick off Saturday, January 30 at 8:30 a.m. in Crossroads Mall. The walk is on a half mile around the mall. Sign up for the walkathon.

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