EDWARDS, Colorado — About 300 people packed e-town restaurant Thursday night to raise money for Haiti earthquake victims.

The Eagle-Vail branch of Habitat for Humanity raised roughly $15,000 by selling drink and raffle tickets, Habitat board member Amanda Precourt said. Online donations prior to the event added another $7,000 to the total.

“I was very pleased,” Habitat marketing director Kristi Moon said of the turnout. “I knew it was getting a good response, but it exceeded my expectations.”

E-town also donated 10 percent of its sales from the night to the cause, restaurant owner Kevin Egan said.

The cause

Money will flow to the Cash for Work program run by Habitat for Humanity International's Haiti affiliate.

The donations will pay for tarps, wheelbarrows, shovels and other basic tools for cleaning up debris. Haiti locals also will get small sums for helping to clean up the wreckage.

“The good thing about that is it puts money back into the community and allows people to help themselves,” Moon said.

Big turnout

By 7:30 p.m., e-town was absolutely packed. People were standing shoulder to shoulder at the bar while patrons occupied all the tables.

Helping Haiti was a cause that resonated with the Vail-area

community.

“The news stories that were being printed in the paper and on TV really touched my heart,” Eagle resident Amy Packer said. She and her husband, John, donated a fly-fishing trip for the raffle.

“In the United States and in this valley, we're so blessed with all we have,” she said. “If we can give a little to those in need, it's important to do.”

Edwards resident Kim Gustafson stopped into the bar for a drink, as well.

“It was close and a low-cost entry fee in this economic time,” he said. “I'd like to participate in doing the little bit that I can to help out.”

Gustafson described the earthquake as an unbelievable natural disaster that hit a country that was already in need.

“I think most people, not only Americans but everyone in the world who has any emotions at all, feels a tremendous amount of compassion for these people,” Gustafson said. “It's going to take a long time for them to get out of this mess.”

The event came about when Precourt, upset about earthquake footage she saw on CNN, was talking on the phone with her friend Monique Busold, who would later help organize the fundraiser.

“We were listening to everything that went on in Haiti,” Precourt said. “We pretty much had a phone conversation and said, ‘We've got to do something.'”

Staff Writer Sarah Mausolf can be reached at smausolf@vaildaily.com.