LOCAL ROTARY CLUB SUPPORTS FAMILY IN NEED

Posted by Christopher Steinback 
on Mar 25, 2014
 
http://gsrotary.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/philippines-21.jpg?w=593&h=261&crop=1
Some months ago the members of the new provisional Rotary Club of Greater Springfield challenged themselves to raise the funds to purchase a Shelterbox, this being the new clubs first community service project. Shelterbox is an international Rotary managed disaster relief charity that provides shelter, warmth and dignity to those who have been affected by disasters worldwide. Rotary delivers boxes of aid, each of which provides an extended family with quality survival equipment and shelter to use while they rebuild their homes.

The club has received news that their challenge has finally been met with their box number 12265 finally delivered to a family in need in the Philippines. A 7.2 magnitude earthquake shook the island of Bohol in the Philippines on October 2013, rattling communities, destroying many homes and forcing families to sleep outside.

It took Lamberto Humanel and his wife three years to build their home. The earthquake destroyed it in 30 seconds. They were living amongst the ruins of their house when Rotary found them. Now Lamberto, his wife and her two sisters as well as one of their daughters are living in a Shelterbox tent. Lamberto said “We want to give a million thanks to all of Shelterbox for this tent, we are much warmer now at night, and I know because of this we will now have a much longer life.”http://gsrotary.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/philippines-1.jpg

With the help of Rotary clubs like the Rotary Club of Greater Springfield and their kind donations, more families like Lamberto’s are safe and together as they begin to rebuild their homes and their lives.” Ï’ll probably have to sell some of the land so we can raise enough money to get the building material, but we will rebuild.””said Lamberto.

Over two million refugees have now fled the worsening violence in Syria and over four million are still displaced within the country. To find out how you can help go to http://www.shelterboxaustralia.org.au .

The Rotary Club of Greater Springfield will celebrate the official chartering of the club by Rotary International on 12 April 2014 at the Brookwater Golf and Country Club. To do so, the new club needs a prerequisite minimum number of 25 members in order to join the Rotary family. Currently the club has 22 members so has approximately 3 weeks to encourage local citizens to join our passionate team prior to charter.

The Rotary Club of Greater Springfield (prov) holds its meetings every Thursday evening at 6.30pm at the Brookwater Golf and Country Club, 1 Tournament Drive Brookwater. For enquiries, contact Club Secretary Lachlan Clarke on 0409 711 199, visit us on Facebook or email us on greaterspringfieldrotary@hotmail.com.