ShelterBox

ShelterBox has also made an initial commitment of 400 boxes to assist the earthquake victims in China. These ShelterBoxes will be channelled in through Hong Kong and Beijing Rotary Clubs and the China Charity Federation. The boxes are destined for Chengdu City in the Sichuan Province. By 23 May, ShelterBox Team members from the UK and Australia were in China, travelling into a disaster area the size of Spain. China is being offered a many ShelterBoxes as people can give.

 A ShelterBox usually consists of:

•10 thermal blankets

•a rugged 10 person dome tent

•water purification tablets

•a multi-fuel stove

•tools and other survival equipment

It provides:

•dry shelter

•a warm bed

•light and heat

•clean water •cooking aids

•tools

•For up to 10 people: all supplied in a box ... a ShelterBox. ShelterBox is a global Rotary Club humanitarian program. The boxes are prepared and stockpiled, ready to be despatched to people in need of shelter and beds wherever and whenever disaster strikes.

Since the project began in 2001, more than 500,000 people in 33 countries have been helped by ShelterBox. They include people displaced by the Indian Ocean Tsunami disaster in 2004 and floods in Nepal. The project was instigated and is managed by the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard in Cornwall, UK. The Australian affiliate is the Rotary Club of Endeavour Hills, and the project is registered with RAWCS, allowing Australian deductions through RAWCS to be tax-deductible. A Shelterbox Australia News Update of 11 May 2008 shows pictures of the first delivery of ShelterBoxes in Burma -- the first UK-based disaster relief team to have landed in Burma. They show Ian Neal, a Cornish fireman, meeting with Burmese Fire and Rescue Service officers to instruct them in the use of the ShelterBoxes. Arrangements were made for a plane to deliver the boxes into the worst areas of the disaster. Updates with photos can be seen via the links below: Burma 7 May 2008 8 May 2008 10 May 2008 15 May 2008 Burma and China 19 May 2008 23 May 2008 You Can Help by: •funding a whole ShelterBox (AUD$1200); or •contributing to a RAWCS-WR fund which will pool donated money to buy ShelterBoxes. The RAWCS-WR project number is WR104. Donations to this project are tax-deductible. To donate funds to support the project, download the donation form, complete it and send to the RAWCS-WR Treasurer. For further information on ShelterBoxes, here are the links to Shelterbox Australia and the Shelterbox Trust in the UK. ShelterBox contacts in WA District 9460 D9460 ShelterBox Representative: PP Eric Blogg Rotary Club of Kwinana Inc., PO Box 118, Kwinana WA 6966 Tel: (08) 9439 2099; Mob: 0412 321 416 E-Mail: JLIB_HTML_CLOAKING