Reporter and Photographer: Joan Firkins
Approximately 25 Rotarians and guests (Eileen Lavigne and Garon Gisler)) and 3 visiting Rotarians (Kris Zmudzinski, Prince George; Tom Kofin, Edmonton, and Christopher Causton, Victoria Harborside) met at 11:30 a.m. to tour the Disaster Aid Canada facility at 426 William Street, hosted by our very own Anne McIntyre. Anne is the Executive Director of Disaster Aid, formerly known as Shelterbox Canada. The description below is a brief overview of the good works done by Disaster Aid:
“Disaster Aid Canada provides worldwide aid to people displaced by a disaster. Immediate relief will be found with the Disaster Relief Kit. It includes a 3 room tent, a tool kit, Hygiene Kits, warmth & comfort products and a water filtration system that will provide a family of 10, a years’ worth of drinkable water.
Our Soap for Hope program collects soap & shampoo from hotels which would have ended up in our landfills. The soap is re-packaged to form the Hygiene Kit. Many illnesses in developing countries can be prevented simply by washing with soap.
We also have the Little Dress for Africa program and Days for Girls kits.
Disaster Aid Canada is governed and administered by Canadian Rotarians. We work in partnership with many Rotary Clubs to provide Disaster Relief Kits and Hygiene Kits to their International Projects.
Disaster Aid Canada is made possible by our generous donors who want to help bring relief to those who have lost everything. This gives them hope as they begin to rebuild their lives.”
Anne answered a number of questions from our members concerning the recent disasters in Vanuatu and the Congo and she explained the relevance of the kits and the soap to each – they are all needed badly.
Anne was asked what her biggest issues are at the moment and she replied that the restocking of the kits and transportation are a challenge. She then mentioned that a donor has kindly offered to double funding received in the month of April and she has a number of school fundraisers on the go to take advantage of the generous offer – several Rotarians stepped up to the plate and handed over cash to ensure it is doubled!
After the tour concluded, everyone adjourned to Spinnakers for lunch and a raucous hour of fellowship was had by all! Our thanks to Anne for allowing us to tour the premises and also our thanks for all she and Disaster Aid are doing to make life just a little bit easier for those in need.
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| A future Rotarian found the tour interesting, but it was past his nap time! |
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