Karen Marshall, owner of Off the Peg, with Joseph Hew, Rotary member and country disaster chairman, with many bags of brand-new clothing to be delivered to Haiti.

Karen Marshall, owner of the Off the Peg clothing store, gives new meaning to "restocking." She cleaned out all the 2009 stock of clothing from her George Town boutique and donated it to the Cayman Rotary Clubs' effort to assist the recovery of earthquake victims in Haiti. The market value of the clothing is approximately $10,000.

Each year, the clothing owner restocks her Elgin Avenue store and donates the previous year's merchandise to worthwhile causes on Cayman, and this year was no different, at least, not until 12 January.

"The earthquake in Haiti changed our direction, and we are reaching out to our Caribbean neighbors in need," she says. "If our 2009 closed stock can bring something positive into the lives of the victims of this tragic natural disaster, we've achieved far more than we could have ever dreamed!"

The bags of clothes will be sent along with medical and other relief supplies through a combined effort of all the Rotary Clubs in the Cayman Islands, which is being coordinated by Joseph Hew, the country disaster chairman for Rotary District 7020.

"So far the Cayman Rotary clubs have sent over a doctor and more than US$18,000 of specialized medical supplies," said Mr Hew. "The focus is now shifting to food and shelter."

Rotary considers the complexity of donating items carefully, in order to avoid disrupting Haiti's current economic balance.

"Haiti has many families that rely solely on their farming and roadside shops as their financial means of survival," he said. "It is not our intention to take away any of their business, but to provide needed medical supplies, food, clothing and shelter to those who cannot afford it, and our donations are being distributed through the Rotary Club in Haiti."

Rotary is a non-government organization (NGO) in Haiti and has been instrumental in operating medical clinics and shelters for hundreds of people in the outer regions of Haiti.

For information on how to help or contribute to the relief efforts organized by the Rotary Clubs of the Cayman Islands, email jhew@Hewsupplies.com.