GEORGETOWN, S.C. —  Can one man change the world?

Well, Tom Henderson did. And members of Georgetown’s two Rotary Clubs are working to help change the world, one person at a time, and they’d like others to join the effort.

It’s Henderson’s idea that led to the creation of ShelterBox.

Immediate shelter

That’s a heavy-duty plastic box with a tent for 10 people, sleeping gear, kitchen items and tools that’s sent around the world where disaster strikes. Already, some 20,000 people in Haiti are living in the tents and being given a chance at life because of donated ShelterBoxes. More are on the way.

Henderson researched disasters and saw that initial aid often provided food and medical care, but seldom was long-term shelter mentioned.

He talked with fellow members of his Rotary Club in England. In 2000, they adopted the idea and the next year sent the first 143 boxes to Gujarat, India after an earthquake.

Local clubs helping

Ross Spencer, a Rotarian from a Chicago suburb, was in Georgetown Tuesday speaking to members of the Georgetown Breakfast and Georgetown Lunch Rotary clubs.

Like most of the world’s 1.2 million Rotarians, Spencer is a volunteer as he represents ShelterBox in the eastern half of South Carolina and in the Chicago area of Illinois, where he lives.

The ShelterBox provides a 10-man tent, blankets, ground sheets, kitchen utensils, hand tools, a cooker, a means of water purification, crayons, pencils and other items for kids.

Tents are specially-made for ShelterBox. Two varieties are used, one is a standard tent and another — which is being sent to Haiti — is designed to stand up to strong UV (ultraviolet) rays for a year or more.

Help needed

It costs $1,000 to buy a ShelterBox and its contents, get it to where it’s going and cover expenses for the volunteer members of ShelterBox Response Teams.

At breakfast, and again at lunch on Tuesday, Spencer showed Georgetown Rotarians what’s in a ShelterBox, talked about the history of the idea and the logistics of getting the watertight plastic boxes and their contents anywhere in the world, right away.

Several members of the Georgetown Breakfast Rotary Club made individual contributions, and the club voted to make up the difference to pay for a $1,000 ShelterBox.

Alan Walters, District Governor for Rotary for the eastern half of South Carolina, said “We’ve emphasized ShelterBox this year. Rotary can go places governments and religious organizations can’t get into. That’s one of the reasons the Rotary emblem is displayed on the boxes.”

Throughout Rotary District 7770, many clubs have already donated $15,000 to ShelterBox, thousands more to Water Missions International, or to the Rotary District’s own Haiti Relief Fund.

‘One hurricane away’

Randy Dozier, president of the Georgetown Lunch Rotary Club, said “With all the tragedies and catastrophes in the world, I don’t know if you could send anything more important.

“It gives you a place to sleep, lie down and blankets to cover yourself.”

J.B. Jolly, president of the Georgetown Breakfast Rotary Club, said he concurs with what Dozier said.

“If we stand back and look at pictures of all the tents set up, we need to think how lucky we are.”

“We’re just one hurricane away from needing these boxes ourselves,” Walters said.

For more information on ShelterBox, or to make your own contribution, visit the Web site www.shelterboxusa.org, or donate by mail to ShelterBox USA, 8374 Market Street #203, Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202. Call (941) 907-6036 or send an e-mail to info@shelterboxusa.org.

By Tommy Howard

thoward@gtowntimes.com

Shelterbox Slideshow: