Alpharetta Rotary Club Funds Shelter for the Phillipines

The Rotary Club of Alpharetta has pledged to send at least five ShelterBoxes to the Phillipines after the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan left thousands of Fillipinos displaced from their homes.

High winds and floods destroyed large parts of the country. Among the first responders were the people of ShelterBox USA. An offshoot of Rotary International, Shelterbox USA is an organization that provides relief to victims of natural disasters.

ShelterBox literally provides shelter and life sustaining necessities in a box.

Rotary Club of Alpharetta member and ShelterBox USA director Wayne Robinson said these boxes contain tents, flashlights, water, water purification tablets, hammers, candles, and other items needed to meet basic needs.

Robinson has been deployed to disasters many times, including the massive earthquake in Haiti and recently to the tornadoes in Oklahoma.

Each ShelterBox costs about $1,000 and the Rotary club of Alpharetta has pledged to send at least 5 boxes to the Phillipines.

These funds will be matched by other Rotary clubs in District 6900 bringing the total amount of aid sent to more than $75, 000.

Alpharetta Rotary club President Dan Merkel said, “ShelterBox is a great way for our club to support disaster relief. This aid goes immediately and directly to those affected by this typhoon.”

Robinson said that the positive connections Rotary International and ShelterBox enjoy ensure that the boxes reach their intended destinations.

Rotarian Robinson has been featured on CNN several times for his work and expertise with ShelterBox.

ShelterBox was conceived by a single Rotarian in England, and his idea has helped hundreds of thousands of people around the world.