Heroes in Haiti

Reprinted in full from an email from northern Virginia's Neighborhood Restaurant Group:

Frank Thorp V, an American aid worker, was in the mountains 100 miles away from Port-au-Prince when the earthquake struck, and at first he didn’t realize how serious it was. But then he learned that it had leveled the Haitian capital and that his wife, Jillian, was trapped in the wreckage of a building. He departed to the city immediately and pulled Jillian from under the rubble of the former Mission House for the Haitian Ministries where she had been pinned beneath concrete, bricks and wood for nearly 10 hours. She survived with miraculously minor injuries.

Frank was a member of the Rustico Restaurant service team before striking out on his career in communications alongside wife Jillian. Jillian is the sister of Kate Cook whom many of you have seen supervising service at Buzz Bakery. Frank’s parents are longtime Alexandria residents and personal friends of our family of businesses. In August 2009, Jillian moved to Haiti to begin working full-time Haitian Ministries for the Diocese of Norwich, a U.S. based humanitarian aid organization. In January 2010, Frank moved down to Haiti to be with Jillian.

Donations will be directed to the Haitian Emergency Rebuilding Operation (H.E.R.O.), a foundation developed by the Thorps in the aftermath of this crisis. Their website is www.haitianheroes.org or simply visit any of our restaurants throughout the week to make a donation. Additionally, all of our restaurants will feature items on their menus (indicated with a red cross), the proceeds of which will be donated on our behalf to both H.E.R.O. and the Red Cross.

The Neighborhood Restaurant Group will also host a fundraiser with Jillian and Frank on Wednesday, January 20 at Columbia Firehouse Restaurant from 6 until 9. We’ll ask for a $40 donation per guest (no reservations, donation collected upon arrival, complimentary hors d’oeuvres and cash bar.) and will encourage additional donations throughout the evening on behalf of H.E.R.O. Please come out to help out.

• More events in Washington D.C. to help Haitian earthquake victims: here.
• More ways to send contributions to relief agencies: here.
• Caveat lector (although on this occasion, it might not be necessary to indicate): As a representative for northern Virginia wine/beer wholesaler Select Wines, Inc., I sell wine and beer to the Neighborhood Restaurant Group.