Although the Creston Valley is more than 3,000 miles from Haiti, its residents are not too far away to help victims of the Jan. 12 magnitude 7 earthquake, which left more than 170,000 dead, 250,000 injured and one million homeless.

To lend some aid to the people of Haiti, Creston’s PhysioWorks is collecting used supplies such as braces, crutches, splints, walkers, canes, walking aids and eyeglasses.

“It’s not much of a sacrifice,” PhysioWorks co-owner Mike Foy said. “It’s an opportunity to help and bless these people, and not be complacent.”

By the end of the month, the physiotherapist plans to take a cube van filled with donations to Portland, Ore., where Medical Teams International will send the items to Haiti. The organization is a Christian agency dedicated to serve those affected by disaster, conflict and poverty around the world, which, unlike many relief agencies, accept donations of goods rather than simply cash.

Foy had been thinking about a medical supply drive such as this one for some time, but the Haiti earthquake was a wakeup call that encouraged him to act.

“I finally got sick of myself and my own complacency,” he said. “This was the final straw. If I’m going to do it, now’s the time.”

He hopes to collect a large amount of used items in decent condition — nothing too worn will be accepted — by the end of the month in order to help out the earthquake victims as soon as possible. If not enough has been collected to warrant the trip to Portland in the immediate future, Foy will hang on to the donations and send them elsewhere.

“If Haiti has had its fill, when we hand it in it will be sent to a secondary spot, like Guatemala,” said Foy.

Donations can be dropped of at PhysioWorks at 124 14th Ave. N. For more information, call 250-428-8962.

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