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Welcome Back
There is lots of new stuff happening in this issue.
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John Joynt Joins Disaster Aid Team
Following the recent retirement of Don & Anne Ohlgren, John Joynt, a high profile business executive, Rotarian and incoming Club President, has volunteered to work with the Board of Disaster Aid Canada to increase the profile and visibility of Disaster Aid Canada and the many facets of the operations.
John looks forward to travelling Canada and meeting Rotarian's within their clubs and working with them to help others to help themselves around the world.
John was born and raised in rural Ontario just south of Ottawa. He has been an enthusiastic member of the Royal Oak Centennial Rotary Club for a few years now and enjoys the many opportunities he's presented to serve his community.
John is President Elect for his club for the 2013-2014 year.
He has served on the boards of Bethel United Church in Rideau Ferry, Ontario, Grace United Methodist Church in Lake Mary, Florida, Christ Community Church in Victoria, BC and the We Rage We Weep Alzheimer Foundation.
John has served in the capacity of Sales Manager, International Sales Manager, VP of Sales and Marketing, Operations Manager and General Manager of various high tech companies. He participated in raising investment funds for companies he has worked for.
He has travelled extensively in 34 countries; most of them second world and Latin Countries.
John is married, has two grown daughters and calls Victoria home. John brings a wealth of international business growth and humanitarian experience to the Executive Directors position of Disaster Aid Canada.
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Executive Director Retires
At the annual year-end board meeting of Disaster Aid Canada, Don Ohlgren submitted his resignation as the Executive Director of Disaster Aid Canada. Don said as follows: My wife and I have been truly privileged to be involved with Disaster Aid in one form or another for the past nine years through our Rotary Clubs connection, first as volunteers for Shelter-Box, and then as full time co-coordinators, and now again as volunteers with Disaster Aid Canada.
We have helped to raise just over Ten Million Dollars during this time and have made a difference between life and death for thousands of people all over the world.
None of this would have happened if it were not for the assistance of our donors and the many hundreds of Rotary Clubs and Rotarian's across Canada who have stood by us and helped us to help others.
During these nine years, we have made some difficult decisions to change directions and create a 100% Canadian organization that does the same relief efforts but keeps the funds, purchasing and financial controls in Canada. Recent events, both morally and legally have proven this to be a wise decision.
We will truly miss the interaction and support shown by so many of you across Canada. It's time for us to pass the torch to new blood and assist them to make Disaster Aid even more successful. We also feel that it's time for us to have some time for ourselves and to slow down and enjoy more of life itself, together.
John Joynt, a Rotarian and accomplished humanitarian has volunteered to take the helm in the interim.
The board of Disaster Aid Canada has also decided to expand the board to truly represent all of Canada and has invited applications for board positions.
Thank you all for your support. These have been the most exciting years of our life as we have been able to work with Rotarians and their friends to truly make a difference in this world.
We will miss you all.
Regards - Don and Anne Ohlgren
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Little Dresses for Africa
We just sent 500 little dresses to Thailand to Global Neighbours. They will surely use them to assist with the thousands of refugees that they work with on Myanmar border. From their side they said these are a godsend for them and will give the little girls a sense of security and let them know that someone somewhere cares for them. For you to assist us with making the little dresses out of pillow slips, simply email us back for the instructions and we will get them to you immediately.  
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Soap For Hope
We also have just sent over 500 hygiene kits to our partners; Global Neighbours. Pictures attached of volunteers helping to process the nearly one ton of used soap that we are now collecting every month from Victoria and Vancouver Islands best hotels. More and more hotels are calling us every day to come on with this ingenious program that turns the wasted soaps and shampoos into brand new hygiene kits that literally save lives by cleaning hands and bodies.
There has been a recent request from a Rotary Club in the Caribbean to help them implement the Soap Recycling Program in their area with the tourist hotels. They indicated that over 10,000 children die each year in their country due to lack of proper hygiene. Yes we can help them...
For you to assist us with knitting washcloths simply email us back for the instructions and we will get them to you immediately.
To assist us with the costs to process the hygiene kits or to ship them overseas, kindly donate to us by using the donate now button or send us a cheque to Disaster Aid office or just phone us with a credit card and we will be glad to accept any amount you can spare. You will truly be helping us to help others, and remember, all donations over $20.00 will receive a tax receipt.
All help is welcomed, Phone us at 250-595-5974 to see what time frame works for you. Visiting Rotarian's and friends always welcome to come, volunteer and see what it is all about.
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With so much new stuff happening now, we encourge volunteers to come into our Victoria Warehouse and assist us to prepare and pack the soap Hygiene Kits.
Currently we are working on Tuesday and Thursdays during the daytime from 10:00 AM until about 1 or 2 PM. You can come by anytime then and help out, Keurig Coffee is always on.
We are also starting up our evening work times on Wednesday nights starting at 6:00 PM and going until 8:30 or 9:00 PM. Once again it's to prepare and package our hygiene kits that are shipped all over the world to alleviate disease and dirt in refugee camps.
You can call us at 250 595 5974 for more info or just email me (John Joynt) at John@disasteraid.ca and I will either call you back or email you with any further info you require. I look forward to meeting new volunteers and having many helping hands to process the over 2000 pounds of soaps that we are currently getting from Vancouver Islands finest hotels.
If you are a Rotarian that is visiting Victoria you should come by our warehouse and take a tour or work a shift with us. Quite the experience to see this old useless soap get a new life and make a difference in someone's life. 
This guest visiting from Ottawa volunteered 2 days to help us process soap into Hygiene Kits. Biggest Comment: Wish we had this program in Ottawa. |
Disaster Aid Takes Rotary Meetings to Next level Don had started a Skype meeting program that proved to be quite successful and I would encourage any of you new presidents that really want to add something in the form of new technology to your meetings, to call me and we will arrange one. All you need is a Laptop or Notebook Computer, high speed internet access and a digital projector. Most clubs currently have all three. We set up a time for me to be your speaker at a regular meeting and I send you a kit to prepare for the meeting. It also has a DVD that you show (about 8 minutes long) that shows our whole program. Then you use the same computer to Skype me and I will come live right into your meeting on the same screen that the DVD was just on. I will give a brief update of where we are, what we are doing and who we are helping. Then, I can answer any questions your members have about any facet of our programs or, how Disaster Aid Canada can work with your club to help a pet project of yours or to connect you with some group either in Canada or worldwide to alleviate poverty, suffering or disease. It certainly gives a first hand, up to date overview of what we are doing right now and with whom. Also really adds some pizzazz to your meetings whereby someone thousands of miles away can be talking directly with your club at your regular meeting. NOTE: In Newfoundland, your 7 AM Rotary meeting is at 3 AM in Victoria BC s I will have to sleep at the office to talk with your members. So I may be in my PJ'S for your meeting. John.
John, Hard at work during a Skype meeting with a Local Rotary Club
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All this is due to the financial, moral and physical support of you our followers. Thanks for what you do.
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Sincerely,
Don
Don Ohlgren
Disaster Aid Canada
426 William Street, Victoria
BC, Canada
V9A 3Y9
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If you would like to help you can click the DONATE NOW button on our website and donate through Canada Helps. Call our office at 1 800 677 0990 if you would like to use VISA or MasterCard. Or you can mail a cheque to our address below. Our tax number is 85592 2704 R0001, and we issue receipts for donations of $20 or more.
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Soap For Hope
Every $100 donation will allow us to supply another 50 soap hygiene kits and give 500 people a healthier future
We are now processing about 1 ton of soap and shampoo collected per month just from our Vancouver Island hotels.
We are always looking for Local Volunteers on Vancouver Island to help us process the soap we gather up, either by helping us to clean or make the new soap or by helping us with pickup requests. Stop by our Victoria Office or call us at 250-595-5974
Even if you would just like to stop by and have a look at how we melt the soap down and make new bigger bars with it, you are welcome to do so.
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