SHELTER BOX

On September 29th Thermal Belt Rotarians were shown how they could make a difference in the world by sponsoring a SHELTER BOX. Shelterboxes are self-contained, portable units for disaster releif. Boxes are packed "disaster specific" and can contain such items as a 10 person insulated tent, sleeping mats/mosquito nets cooking/eating equipment including a cook stove, hand tools, water purification pills/water containers, shovels, etc. Shelter Box responds to both narural and man-made disasters. Currently, they are woking with UN agencies in Africa to provide emergency shelter for homless war refugees and displaced people in both Sudan and Somalia. Boxes are sponsored for $900 US (including transportation) by the donations from individuals, groups and organizations like The Thermal Belt Rotary and Landrum High School Interact Club. Donors are informed where "their" box was assigned Hurricane Katrina received 1,200 boxes from Rotarians. Mr. William Loehr, Jr, from The Lake Hickory Rotary Club was our guest speaker on this project. In attendance from Landrum High School Interact Club was Cathey Stoney, Interact Advisor and Lauren Jensen representing the Interact Club of Landrum High School.

in photo are top left Lauren Jensen Interact Student next to her Cathey Stoney Interact Advisor Landrum High School) right side Rotary Club President Pete Crandall bottom left Ann Crandall youth service director and bottom right Bill Loehr Shelter Box representative from Rotary.

Article submitted by Ann Crandall
Thermal Belt Rotary Club

Who is Shelter Box? Who do you help?What's in a Shelter Box?

Ask any Interact Club member at Landrum High School these questions and they can give you the answers. This group of high school service club members (INTERACT CLUB) have helped raise $1000 to purchase a Shelter Box. On any given day, more than 12,000.000 people lack adequate shelter; a shelter box provides for shelter and more. Floods, hurricanes, wars, and earthquakes leave multitudes displaced and homeless every day. The traditional focus is on immediate needs. Local and international relief organiaztions react with initial aid of food, medicine and short-term shelter to releive suffering and hardship. However, the need for shelter goes on--often for months. Displaced and vulnerable people ofter have needs that persist long afer the relief agencies have gone. Tents, sleeping bags and clean water are invaluable while the local infrastructure is being restored until people are better equipped to cope. Recovery from disaster begins and continues with adequate shelter. An adequate place to sleep and live not only offers displaced people immediate protection from elements --it represents a small step towards normal life. SHELTER REPRESENTS HOPE. We can't eradicate natural or manmade disasters- we can only plan for them. Each Shelter Box contain critical shelter and warmth for up to 10 people Boxes are packed dsiaster-specific and contain high quality, new itesm whcih remain the property of the reciepients. The box itself is often recycled in use. Each ShelterBOx goes immediately and directly to the people who need it most---where need is not always defined by national boundries. ShelterBOX response teams (Rotary Club members from around the world) partner with local organizations to help ensure that critical shelter arrives for victims in any geographic area--wherever it is and when people need it most. SHELTERBOXES contain thermal blandkes insulated ground sheets and sleeping bags; waterproof ponchos; multi-fuel stoves that can burn anything; cooking pans, bowls and mugs, collapsible water contianers and water purificatiion tablets; basic tool kits and small childrens packs containing drawing books and crayons.

The unique ShelterBox concept was thought up and developed by ex-Royal Navy search-and-rescue diver Tom Henderson of the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard in Cornwall, England. ShelterBox is a service project of the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard England. ShelterBox is funded entirely by donations from all over the world. Disasters whatever the cause; often result in huge numbers of people left homeless. The initial challenge is to get medical aid to the injured and make sure everyone has access to water and food. However shelter is essential. Without protection from the elements survival can be a real battle particularly for the young, old and infirmed.

When the Interact students of Landrum High School saw a program on ShelterBox they knew this was their chance to make a difference in the world. Every ShelterBox is individually numbered and donors are advised of the ID number. The final destination of each box can be tracked via the web site: www.shelterbox.org. If you are interested in this wonderful project ask an Interact Member how you can help.