Fellow Rotarians, We are all aware of the major disaster that has hit Haiti. Your Board of Directors had been asked if Rotary was doing anything and we have been looking at various options and have come up with the following response for members and clubs.
 
District 5970 has endorsed the ShelterBox organization as their 501(c)3 organization to receive the cumulative funds donated by Rotary clubs and individual Rotarians that choose to participate in our District wide AID TO HAITI project. Clubs are free to choose other organizations if they want, but we request that they notify district secretary John Last with the amount of your donation so a district cumulative response can be calculated. Please send your donations to district secretary John Last and he will forward them on a weekly basis to the ShelterBox organization.

Additionally, your board of directors has also authorized that the District will match either $ for $ or $1 for every $2 clubs donate (yet to be finalized at next weeks board meeting). The matching district funds will come from our District Designated Funds.

Additional details will be in the district newsletter later this month. Here are some other quick notes you should know:

ShelterBox was on the ground within 48 hrs after the quake. It is run by Rotarians. It was started in England. Rotarians were interviewed and Rotary was mentioned several times on Fox news during those first few days.

1700 shelterbox have already been dispatched with another 1600 to shipped later this week. They estimate that 200,000 families, up to one million people are in immediate need.

Shelterbox provides a tent and and provisions for a group of 10 people for a number of days. They provide the basics and for immediate needs that's why Rotary selected ShelterBox. One box costs $1000 if your club is interested in saying they bought one or multiple boxes.

If individuals want to write a check I would suggest they write the check payable to ShelterBox and then send it along with the club's money to John. Please don't send cash. There is discussion currently in the US Congress to make Haiti disaster contributions made before a certain date in 2010 tax deductible in 2009. Watch the papers and ask your tax preparer.

Mason City Sunrise got a jump on everyone because it's district secretary John Last's club and they raised $800 this morning. Great job for the 25 members of that club. GREAT EFFORT. Additional information regarding ShelterBox is available at www.ShelterBoxUSA.org.

Lastly, I would say it is a terrible tragedy and we each do what we can. I thank all Rotarians for their financial support for this special request BUT please don't forget the annual gifts fund of the Rotary Foundation and if you haven't made your contribution yet please do so ASAP. The DDF funds we are using for the match are funds that are available to our district 3 years after they are given by Rotarians to the Foundation annual gift fund. We need that support as well, so we can support such programs as the ambassadorial scholars, the group study exchange, world peace scholars, district simplified grants and disasters like Haiti.

Thank you club presidents and secretaries for getting the word out to all Rotarians in District 5970. This is just one more reason why individuals NEED to be a part of a great organization like Rotary to expand their effectiveness and be a part of something that makes the world a better place.

The Future of Rotary is in Your Hands
Gerald Retzlaff, District Governor 5970

PS there has been a couple of Rotarians who expressed an interest to personally go to Haiti to assist in the clean up effort. At the present time RI does not have a disaster responder program. Also because of the volume of the needs and the overtaxed airport, our physical presence is not currently possible. HOWEVER at a later time (6 wks plus) it may be possible. If anyone in your club is interested in going to Haiti to help please let John Last know and we'll begin a list of volunteers for a potential future trip to help rebuild Haiti and support the 16 Rotary clubs in Haiti.