R Clay introduced R Art Chamberlain of the Rotary Club of Campbellford.
Art is an Ambassador for Shelter Box.
Art passed around some Shelter Box brocures.
He displayed a solar light that costs about $40, used as part of the Shelter Box kits.
Shelter Box was started by Rotarians in Great Britain and are a formal partner with Rotary.
Shelter Box send teams into a disaster zone to assess the needs first, then deploy boxes and kits as required. These teams work with and through local Rotary Clubs who know the area, have connections and provide support.
Shelter Box is active around the world in disaster zones and refugee camps.
Volunteers help raise funds needed. Some volunteers are trained to go into disaster areas to assess the needs and work with the local Rotarians. In 2018 Shelter Box responded to 18 countries and helped 200,000 people. Their goal is to help 1,000,000 as needs increase with global warming etc. Many disasters are weather related due to flooding and severe weather.
Shelter Box has warehouses of supplies in Costa Rica and Phillipines for better and more efficient distribution and response times to crisis.
The recent hurricane in Bahamas it was determined that Shelter Box was not needed. Worst hit islands where populated by Haitian's who lived in shanty towns and government did not want them there, so they have been moved to community centres on other islands.
Shelter Box now has a couple tent types, one with liner for colder climates, and original tough single skin tent. They also have smaller cheaper 'kits' that they use more. They find that often people's homes need repair, not replacement,so kits provide tools etc to help people repair their homes. Tents are used more in flooded areas and refugee camps where they can't return to their homes.
Rotary Clubs who support Shelter Box with purchase of a box for $1,200 are recognized as a Shelter Box Bronze Hero. $3,600 is Silver Hero and >$10,000 as gold.
Art presented the Rotary Club of Brighton with a Bronze Hero Award Recognition.
R Clay and R Chris presented Art on behalf of the Club a cheque for $1,200 for another box for this year.