Freelance Photographer holds event for the Andrew Grene Foundation

Feb. 17, 2010 - PRLog -- He devoted much of his working life to the UN, and as a peacekeeping strategist he worked in troubled areas across the globe, from Africa, to Asia to Haiti.  He loved, admired, and believed passionately in what he did, and from the bottom of his being, he believed in the joy, spirit, and potential of the Haitian people.  Andrew gave his life in the cause of peace, when the UN HQ building in Port-au-Prince collapsed on the evening of 12th January 2010.

Andrew’s twin brother Gregory and close friend Tim Perutz, have set up the Andrew Grene Foundation in memory of Andrew to raise funds for the education of children in Haiti and to aid micro financing small scale business that can make the difference between supporting a family and poverty that is beyond most of our imaginations.  

Friend of the family and freelance photographer, Lorraine Teevan, is holding a fundraising event on Friday 5th March.  Lorraine has known the Grene family since she was a teenager when her sisters and parents used to go round to the Grene’s house for a summer party.  Lorraine recalls; ‘When I was young the boys used to come to our town every year with their Dad.  My Dad says that they were like the swallows, you knew summer was coming when you saw Professor Grene and the boys arrive in town.  The locals were always in awe of the boys, cool American clothes, impeccable manners and the nicest, kindest people that you could meet.  There always seemed to be such a spiritual vibe about Andrew and Gregory, there still is.  Our family (The McElgunn's) were into our Irish music and this I think was how we originally connected with Andrew and Gregory. I remember them coming into our house when I was about 12, they would have been 19 or 20.   In recent years I sadly haven't seen them so much but my parents have kept in contact with them, visiting their house when they were home in Derrycark, Belturbet and having great "craic" as we Irish call it at the Grene's summer "spraoi"  (pronounced spree), a party which was held in their home every year.  All the neighbours were invited and it is a night looked forward to every year by young and old and talked about and enjoyed by all those there.  At the spraoi you could play some music, if you couldn't play you could sing, if you couldn't sing you could dance and if you couldn’t dance you could say a poem.  Gregory and Andrew always kept the fun going at these parties and were such welcoming hosts; their parties are legendary in the Belturbet area.  The main reason that I am holding this fundraiser is because I was genuinely touched by the kindness shown to my parents by the Grene family after my sister died in 1998.  Gestures of incredible decency and thought were made by them to both my parents.  It is also because of the connection our family feel to theirs.  It is not often in life that you meet people as kind and decent as Andrew and Gregory Grene.  There is no pretence with them, they are as they present themselves to be, honest, thoughtful, kind, genuine, people who care about others, their feelings and do their best in life to share and care. Their Mother, Ethel and their Father David (RIP) must be incredibly proud of the fantastic men they made.  When I was at Andrew's funeral I felt that I was being urged to make a contribution to mark his life and this was how I felt it was to be done.  I hope that I can somehow make a difference to this charity with my efforts and honour Andrew's memory in doing so.  Everyone in our town of Belturbet now has Andrew Grene's name on their minds and in their prayers.  For all of us he has become the epitome of selflessness, thoughtfulness and bravery. I am so proud to say that I knew Andrew Grene, Belturbet town is proud to be able to call Andrew Grene its son, we are incredibly proud to have him laid to rest in our town and we will forever more remember the sacrifice he made to make the lives of the Haitian people better.  Ar dheis de go raibh a anam usual (may his noble soul be at God's right side)’.

The table quiz will be at the Seven Horseshoes, Belturbet at 21:00.  For further information about the event or to book a table please contact Lorraine on 087 7564735.

For further information about the Foundation, go to www.andewgrenefoundation.org or email tim.perutz@andrewgrenefoundation.org.

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The Andrew Grene Foundation is a
charity dedicated to providing aid
direct to the people of Haiti. Funds are
allocated to the education of Haitian
children and to the microfinancing of
small-scale Haitian businesses.