Aid workers for
the
international
disaster relief
charity
ShelterBox are
on the ground in
Port au Prince,
Haiti.
ShelterBox
Response Team
(SRT) members
Dave Eby (US),
Wayne Robinson
(US) and Mark
Pearson (UK)
arrived in the
island's capital
on Thursday,
January 14 and
have already
been in contact
with government
officials and
Rotarians in the
country. The
Response Team,
who are
completely
self-sufficient,
has set up base
with the help of
a Haitian
Rotarian.
Speaking from
Port au Prince,
David Eby said:
'We're working
hard to resolve
security,
logistics and
communications.
The city is
totally
devastated. Our
host told us,
"There is no
more Haiti ."'
ShelterBox's
Head of
Operations John
Leach said: 'We
spoke with our
team in Haiti
this morning and
already they've
been working
with other aid
agencies and the
government to
assess where
ShelterBoxes are
most needed.
'Our priority
is now getting
logistics in and
doing all we can
to get it on the
island. We're
sending a
ShelterBox
Logistics team
into Miami to
work and
coordinate
logistics into
Haiti from
there.'
ShelterBox's
Logistics
Manager Richard
Lewis added:
'We're doing
everything we
can to make sure
emergency aid
reaches the
people of Haiti.
'The situation
is changing by
the minute and
we're exploring
every single
avenue available
to us in order
to make sure the
aid gets on the
ground as
quickly as
possible.'
The ShelterBox
Logistics team,
made up of SRT
members Mark
Dyer (US), John
Lacquey (US) and
Ian Neal (UK),
will meet a
consignment of
ShelterBoxes
being flown into
Miami, USA and
run the
logistics into
Haiti from
there.
930 ShelterBoxes
have already
been dispatched
and are en route
to Haiti while
another 1,000
are being packed
today at
ShelterBox HQ by
ShelterBox's
team of
volunteers.
Virgin Atlantic
is supporting
the relief
effort by flying
hundreds of the
ShelterBoxes on
their planes.
Sir Richard
Branson,
President of
Virgin Atlantic,
said: "Everyone
who has seen the
sheer
destruction in
Haiti over the
last few days
will have been
moved to help in
any way they
can. We
will fly in as
much aid as
possible so that
the agencies on
the ground can
respond to the
needs of
everyone in
Haiti whose
lives have been
devastated by
this tragedy."
With the need in
Haiti growing
each day, there
are millions of
people in need
of emergency
shelter.
ShelterBox
Founder Tom
Henderson, OBE,
says support at
this time is
crucial.
"The support
we've seen in
the last few
days has been
staggering," he
said. "It's all
hands on deck
for ShelterBox
right across the
globe. People
in Haiti need
our help and we
will not stop
until they get
it. If you can
help, in any way
at all, I'd urge
you to do so."
A ShelterBox can
be purchased
online at
http://www.shelterboxusa.org
for $1000 $US.
Pass the hat at
your next club
meeting and have
your club
members make a
contribution
then make up the
difference with
club funds and
purchase a
ShelterBox.
Read the story
of one club with
only 20 members
that did this
yesterday.
Their District
Governor has not
challenged every
club in the
district to
match the
contribution.
Remember that
each ShelterBox
provides
shelter,
bedding, cooking
utensils, water
purification,
dishes, a
portable stove,
and other living
essentials for
up to 10 people.
The nearly 2000
ShelterBoxes now
on their way to
Haiti will
provide shelter
for 20,000
people. Of
course,
many more will
bel needed.
Their web site
also allows you
to donate in
smaller amounts.
Your box will be
numbered and
you'll be
notified where
it was used.
