16 Tons Of Fresh Oranges From Central Valley Packing House Sent To Victims Of Chilean Earthquake

The images of the tremendously devastatinghe coordinated the joint effort, secured donations
disaster and enormously large loss of lives fromnot only for the fruit but for the logistics
the earthquake in Haiti in the middle of January ofnecessary to get the fruit delivered to the City of
this year were still vividly fresh in the minds ofConcepcion, the most quake-damaged city in Chile.
many people around the world when a massiveSixteen tons of fresh sweet Navel oranges were
8.8 magnitude earthquake struck the Republic ofdonated by Mr. George Bravante, a Central
Chile early Saturday morning, the 27th ofCalifornia citrus grower who owns Bravante
February. That quake was followed by a longProduce. The packing materials were donated by
string of unexpectedly powerful aftershocks thatMid-Valley Packaging in Fowler, California. The
continued to jolt the people of the Republic oforanges were packed into bins and loaded into a
Chile.forty-foot ocean container by the employees of
Although Chileans have experienced numerousBravante Produce on Thursday, March 13th.
violent tremors in the past, as their country liesEmpty plastic mesh bags were included with each
on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," it has never beenbin to facilitate distribution of the oranges upon
possible to predict when or how powerful thetheir arrival in Chile.
next tremor will be. The 8.8 magnitudeMr. Frank Gomez, who is President of Yamko
earthquake on February 27th was the biggestTruck Lines, donated a truck and driver to take
quake to hit Chile in the last fifty years. Accordingthe oranges to the Port of Long Beach, California.
to a report from the U.S. Geological Survey, theThe sea container and the shipping of the
City of Concepcion, a coastal city, was hit mostcontainer by ocean vessel were donated by NYK
severely.Cool Ocean Freight Company. Freight booking and
To date, the Chilean government has reportedcoordination were donated by Inchcape Shipping
that the February 27th earthquake and theServices.
aftershocks have killed 214 people, injured orThe 16 tons of Navel oranges were scheduled to
displaced about 2,000,000 people, and damagedleave the Port of Long Beach on Monday, March
approximately 500,000 homes. On Friday, March15th, and to arrive in Santiago, Chile, on Friday,
12th, Chile's newly elected President, SebastianMarch 26th. Sullivan said that once the oranges
Pinera, declared the total quake damage wasreached Port Valparaiso, the Chilean Navy will
about $30 billion.transport them to the City of Concepcion.
Along with people of many nations around theSullivan emphasized that the oranges been
world, many Americans have continued to helpdonated to the earthquake victims in Chile go
the victims of the Haitian earthquake. Many ofthrough a close inspection from the California
them, now, have also turn their efforts toDepartment of Food & Agriculture, just as if
assisting the victims of the recent Chilean quake.they were being sent to the markets in the
Without any connection in Chile, and about sixUnited States.
thousand miles away from Santiago, a resident ofThere is no doubt that this donation of 16 tons of
Clovis, California, Mr. Richard Sullivan, thought thatfresh oranges from the Central Valley of
sweet Navel oranges from the Central ValleyCalifornia is one example among many of a
would be a welcomed fruit in the earthquakethoughtful, compassionate and caring response by
zone, as the oranges would not only providea small group of private American citizens to the
needed nutrition to the victims of the earthquakeneeds of strangers thousands of miles way who
but would be appreciated for their delicioussuffer from a devastating natural disaster.
sweetness as well as their cheery color.What a sweet donation for Chilean Quake Relief!
So Sullivan set up a Navel Orange Donation PlanSource: © 2010 JoAnne Green. Do not republish
for the Chilean Quake Relief. Using his expertiseor repost text without written permission.
as a Cold Storage Manager for a Central CaliforniaDo not extract quotes without proper credit.
fruit packing house, Bravante Produce, in Reedley,Plagiarism is a crime.