The Ukraine crisis has touched everyone around the world. We have all been invited to contribute to the effort, whether by donating online, by volunteering to house refugees, or by creating a fundraiser. Congratulations to Lorraine Ashdown and her team for raising substantial funds to send to Red Cross.
The Board of the Rotary Club of Bowen Island has met to discuss what we could do in response to the pleas for support for Ukraine. For Rotarians, there is the option to donate to the Rotary International Disaster Response Fund, but we decided to do something more substantial: a ShelterBox fundraiser on the weekend of April 16 and 17.
What is ShelterBox, you may ask. It is a multi-national partner of Rotary International (website: www.shelterbox.org) that responds to worldwide disasters, supplying family-size tents, mattresses, medical supplies and household goods to areas in distress.
Here is their mission: 'We provide shelter, essential items and technical assistance to help some of the world’s most vulnerable people recover and rebuild their homes after disaster. We listen and adapt our support to the needs of each community, working together with those affected by disaster, alongside our supporters and partners.'
In the past 10 years, our club has supported the Japanese tsunami crisis and the Philippines flood crisis by erecting ShelterBox tents outside the Snug Café and raising significant funds to send to these areas in distress.
We are doing it again during the weekend of April 16 and 17, outside the Snug Café. Visitors to the tent will be able to see the sturdy set-up and some of the equipment that ShelterBox will be able to provide to victims of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
A ShelterBox team is already on site in Ukraine, organizing relief so we feel that this is a hands-on way to donate to the crisis. Please come by between 10 am and 2 pm on either Saturday or Sunday, with cash, cheques, or credit cards to support our fundraiser. Donors of $25 and over will receive charitable tax receipts.
