Alexandria Rotarians Provide Shelter Boxes to Haitians

Contents of a Shelter box

ALEXANDRIA, VA. - In the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake, Alexandria Rotarians are putting their dollars together to make a difference.

The group of about 150 businessmen and women in the city of Alexandria has provided 6 shelter boxes to survivors of the earthquake. The boxes cost $1,000 each and can provide shelter and other necesseties for ten people. Steve Wharton is past president of the Alexandria Rotarians. “To date our district has sponsored 120 boxes before Haiti,” Wharton told Local Kicks in an interview. “Rotary International as a whole has up to now provided 6,000 shelter boxes to needy populations around the world. Further we all understand that our donations even if later than the immediate need in Haiti will still restock inventory. Thus freeing current stocks up for use in Haiti and still be ready to help in the next emergency somewhere else in the world.

Carlo sits in a Shelter box

According to the Shelter box web site, the $1,000 boxes contain the following: One 49 gallon box with contents; once delivered, can be used as water tank, food store, cot, table, etc.; one ten-person tent, including two fabric interior privacy partitions, outer fly-sheet and repair kit. These tents are considered ‘winter suitable’ by international relief standards; vinyl insulated sleeping mats and lightweight thermal blankets.

More compact than sleeping bags, these mats and blankets have multiple uses. The blanket can also be fashioned to catch water, as a tarp, etc. while the mat also serves as a ground ‘table’ for meals, or tent rugs; one pack of 180 water purification tablets or a water purification kit; and one 5 gallon flat-pack water container (Each tablet will purify a full container of water providing 1,800 gallons of clean drinking water which should be sufficient for a family of ten for up to three months); two 2.1 gallon, collapsible, plastic water carriers; one collapsible trenching shovel; rope, 164 foot; repellant-treated mosquito netting; ten PVC Ponchos/ ten HD plastic bags; tool kit in canvas bag: hachet, jack-knife, screwdriver, hammer, hoe head; multi-fueled cook stove; eating utensils: enamel plates/cups; children's activity kit-simple school supplies, stickers and coloring book.

According to the Alexandria Rotarians, prior to late 2005, support for ShelterBox in District 7610 was spotty with a peak in early 2005 when the Rotarian Club of West Point set the bar high by raising support for 15 Boxes, also from West Point High School. From 2006-07 through last year, the district raised about 95 Boxes, and had contributions early this year for about 10 Boxes before the Haitian earthquake.

All told, the district covering this area had sponsored about 120 Boxes before the current disaster, with at least 50 Boxes being commited within the past 2 weeks.

Readers wishing to contribute Shelter Boxes may do so by visiting www.shelterbox.org.