Big, terrible news came this week in the form of a shallow, 7.0-magnitude earthquake that has devastated Haiti. The Red Cross estimated that as many as 50,000 may be dead, including one UVA student. Some local businesses are looking to help.
Consignment House Unlimited, at the corner of First and Main streets, has staged an impromptu art sale to raise money for relief efforts there. Jose Giron, who runs the shop with his wife Carla, said that a friend offered between 100 and 150 paintings from artists in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The colorful paintings are being sold for anywhere between $85, for small ones, to $350 for larger paintings and murals.
Carla said that all of the proceeds will be donated to a charity yet to be determined. “We’ll send it to the best place possible,” she said. So far, only five paintings have been sold. Jose was out picking up some more this afternoon.
“We’re trying to get the max out of it,” Carla said. Take out those wallets, folks. This is not a drill.
