News Release – May 19, 2022
Canadians Raise Funds to Support Victims of Saratoga Hotel Gas Explosion
Appalled by the devastating gas explosion at the Saratoga Hotel in Havana on May 6th, Canadians have opened their hearts and their wallets to support the victims of this horrendous accident. Forty-six people lost their lives and more than eighty people were hospitalized. The rescue teams and ordinary citizens have risked their own lives to search for and help save these hotel workers, passersby, and people injured in nearby apartments.
The Saratoga Hotel had undergone major renovations and had no guests at the time of the explosion but was scheduled to re-open within days, as an important part of the Cuban economy. Fortunately, all the children in a nearby school were safely evacuated.
The Canadian Network on Cuba (CNC) launched the fundraising campaign across Canada, starting with its 23 member organizations from Halifax to Vancouver. One hundred percent of all funds donated will be sent to help the victims and help with the reconstruction efforts. The CNC is a volunteer organization and will cover all costs involved in the campaign.
Since the pandemic began, the Canadian Network on Cuba has already successfully raised $120,000.00 for medical supplies to Cuba, including 2 million syringes, for its locally developed outstanding vaccines: Abdala, Soberana 1,2 and Soberana Plus, all highly effective against Covid-19. This included $10,000 from one donor who was terminally ill in a hospital on Vancouver Island.
In addition, the CNC collected and sent $44,000 to assist Cuba in its Henry Reeve International Medical Brigades fighting the pandemic in over 40 countries across five continents.
These donations are of critical importance to Cuba, that is suffering from the over 60-year immoral and illegal U.S. Blockade, as well as the effects of the pandemic.
The purpose of this new campaign is to help the victims of this tragic accident and their families, and to restore the structures in Havana damaged by the explosion. We appeal to organizations, unions, and individuals to once again show their solidarity to generously support Cuba at this challenging time.
For more information and where to send donations, please contact Elizabeth Hill, Co-chair and Treasurer, Canadian Network on Cuba. elizzhill@gmail.com or 416 654-7105.
Your donation may be sent by cheque payable to the “CNC” or by e-transfer.
Unfortunately, the CNC is unable to give tax receipts for your donations.
You can mail your cheque to:
CNC c/o Sharon Skup 56 Riverwood Terrace, Bolton, ON L7E 1S4
(Please include in the Memo line: “Campaign for Saratoga Victims”
You can also e-transfer your donation to this email: donate@canadiannetworkoncuba.ca
(Please include in the Message/Subject line: “Campaign for Saratoga Victims”)
Then also send a second separate email (to the above email) with just the secret password that is needed to
open your e-transfer. Need exact spelling. The password does not have to make any sense with your
statement. Banks suggest to not make it easy for a possible hacker to guess the password.
example: My hometown is Offplanet; nowhere; neptune; HondaCivic, secret65, ………..