Box full of everything, bound for Haiti

BY WENDY ELLIOTT

Kings County Register

Rotarians in Western Nova Scotia reacted quickly after the earthquake in Haiti. “It really struck home to Rotarians, as the president of the Yarmouth club, Bill Newell, had a personal involvement,” says assistant district governor Greg Coldwell, Port Williams. “His son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren were there at that time.”

Clubs in Yarmouth, Middleton, Kentville, New Minas, Wolfville and Windsor have put their efforts toward “shelter boxes.” “The objective was to raise enough funds so every Rotarian could say they had provided shelter to at least one Haitian. With 200 members in those six clubs, it meant we had to raise at least $20,000, as each shelter box provides shelter for 10 people and costs $1,000 per unit.”

With the help of club donations, member donations and donations from community organizations, Coldwell notes, “we reached that goal in a week, and efforts are still on going.”

He added the Sunday school at St. John's Anglican Church in Port Williams, along with help from the church, donated one box through the New Minas club. “The enthusiasm those kids showed, because they were helping out, was tremendous, Coldwell says, “and it certainly gave them an awareness of how lucky they are to live where they do and the obligations that brings with it.” “Rotary has a strong part to play in our community, and in our global community,” says Adam Smith, president of the Rotary Club of New Minas Sunrise. “Of course, Rotary only contributes when the community contributes to Rotary, and that's the great part of all Rotary contributions. “When ‘Rotary did that,’ our community ‘did that,’” he says.

Anyone who feels this is a worthwhile project may donate through a local Rotary Club, Coldwell suggests.

Emergency shelter for more than 20,000 people is now in Port au Prince and surrounding areas, according to ShelterBox, with small camps set up in Delmas, Petion-Ville, Carrefour and Leogane.

WEBLINKS

www.shelterbox.ca

Help inside

Each ShelterBox is a large, rugged, green plastic container that holds a 10-person tent and a range of other equipment. Typical box contents could include: • Thermal blankets and insulated ground sheets • Waterproof ponchos and bin bags • A multi-fuel stove that can burn anything from diesel to old paint • Cooking pans, utensils, bowls and mugs • Collapsible water containers and water purification tablets • A basic tool kit – hammer, axe, saw, pliers, hoe head, trenching shovel, rope • A small, children’s pack containing drawing books, crayons, pens

Once assembled, boxes are banded and sealed, ready for transit. They are also individually numbered, so each box can be tracked and donors may know its final destination.