Tom Henderson didn’t have second thoughts in 2000 about a millennium project he began for his Rotary Club in Cornwall, England: “Let’s help people who have lost their homes due to natural disasters or humanitarian crises.”
The club’s goal was to help shelter eight to 10 families. Club members shopped for and collected emergency supplies, then packed those items into boxes along with tents that could provide shelter. They were ready to help when an earthquake struck Gujarat, India, in 2001. The club packed 143 boxes and sent them on their way to India.
The 70-pound tents required four people to set up, and the boxes provided basic household supplies. Rotarians worked with local volunteers, teaching them how to set up temporary shelters, filter water and use mosquito netting. Without these necessities, many people could die from mosquito-borne and waterborne diseases.
Instead of sheltering 10 families, they helped 200 that year. The idea of ShelterBox was alive and growing.
It seems like every day on the news or social media, we read about a natural disaster striking somewhere in the world — or happening right in our own communities. Everyone knows someone who lost a loved one in the Mystic Camp flooding. Currently, wildfires are raging in parts of Texas. Once again, disaster has become personal.
Try to imagine what it would be like to lose your home to a wildfire or tornado. What would be your first need? Like Tom and his English Rotary Club, your answer would likely be shelter.
Now imagine what you would need if you lost your entire community. The answer is still shelter. That is the most basic need after a city or community has been devastated by a natural disaster, such as last year’s California wildfires or the devastating fires in Maui three years ago.
The Red Cross does important work following natural disasters, but sometimes assistance can be delayed while staff and resources are mobilized. Through Rotary International and ShelterBox, help can come in the form of volunteers from around the world.
Volunteers with ShelterBox in Denton are preparing to head to Nepal and the Tibet region of China, which have been devastated by flooding and mudslides. The tents they use must be durable enough to last at least six months, although in some areas they have remained in use for three to five years.
These Rotarians will train residents to set up tents, repair homes that are still standing and teach survival skills that can help communities recover. Their goal is not simply to provide a tent, but to give people the tools and support they need to begin rebuilding their lives.
Today, Tom’s idea of a shelter in a box has helped more than 3 million families around the world. ShelterBox is currently helping in places such as Venezuela, Colombia and Nepal, assisting populations that cannot recover on their own and need additional support.
If you would like to learn more about ShelterBox or donate, visit ShelterBoxUSA.org. A ShelterBox costs approximately $1,000 and includes a tent and essential household supplies.
Let’s keep Tom’s idea alive and growing — one shelter, one family and one community at a time.
Rotary Activities in September:
Pop a Cork at Steve’s Wine Bar in Denton
Thursday, Sept. 16 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Lake Cities Rotary Social
111 Industrial St., Denton
Help Tag a Rubber Duck
Thursday, Sept. 17 at 4 p.m.
Meet in the parking lot near Whiskey and Smoke at The River Walk in Flower Mound.
More than 30,000 rubber ducks need to be untagged and then retagged.
Duck Derby at The River Walk in Flower Mound
Saturday, Sept. 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The duck race begins at 1 p.m.
To buy a duck, visit duckrace.com.
Area clubs Invite you to join them:
Highland Village/Lewisville Area Rotary Club
Thursdays, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Salerno’s Italian Restaurant, Highland Village Road and FM 407
President: Lisa Mehl
www.hvrotary.org
Lewisville Noon Rotary Club
Wednesdays, noon-1 p.m.
Bistecca Italian Kitchen, Highland Village Road and FM 407
President: Kathy Travis
www.lewisvillenoonrotary.com
Cross Timbers Rotary Club
Fridays, 8-9 a.m.
Courtyard by Marriott, 4330 Courtyard Way
President: Kelly Murray
www.crosstimbersrotary.com
Flower Mound Rotary Club
Thursdays, noon-1 p.m.
Salerno’s Italian Restaurant, Highland Village Road and and 407
President: Benjamin Hart
www.flowermoundrotary.org
Champions Rotary Club
Wednesdays, 8-9 a.m.
The Mule Barn, 218 FM 156, Justin
President: Ben Scheck
www.clubofchampionsrotary.com
Denton Lake Cities Rotary Club
Tuesdays, 7-8 a.m.
Oakmont Country Club, 1901 Oakmont Drive, Corinth
President: Pat Smith
www.dentonlakecitiesrotary.com
Denton Noon Rotary Club
Thursdays, noon-1 p.m.
Greater Denton Arts Council, 400 E. Hickory St., Denton
President: Courtney Banatoski
www.dentonrotary.com
