Update published by Chuck Arnason on Hurricane Harvey Relief

Some of you may have already seen this, but many probably have not.  It is republished here to convey the latest update on Harvey Relief suggestions for Rotarians.  In light of the impacts of Hurricane Irma over the last few days, there may be additional updates as the damage reports from Irma are known.  Many of our Rotary Clubs in Zones 33 & 34 have been severely affected by Harvey & Irma.  The need will be great and long-lived.

“Hurricane Harvey Update
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
By Charles A. Arnason 

The devastating impact of Hurricane Harvey cut across four Rotary districts in South Texas and Western Louisiana. District 5930 (South Texas) saw the initial land fall, Followed by District 5890 covering the Houston area and District 5910 where Beaumont, Galveston and Port Arthur are located. It also raised havoc in Western Louisiana, home of District 6200. We felt that the best way to address the widespread nature of this disaster is to collect contributions in our District 7600 Donor Advised Fund (DAF) for distribution across the whole area.

We know that a disaster of this magnitude will require our financial assistance for months into the future,” says District 5930 Governor Betty Ramirez-Lara. The district disaster relief committees in the affected areas are in the best position to provide support where they believe it can best be used. District 7600 will collect disaster relief contributions throughout the month of September and make an equitable distribution to the four districts mentioned above.

Make checks payable to “Rotary 7600 DAF” and mail them to:

4140 Duke of Gloucester Drive
Chesapeake, VA 23321

If you are interested in immediate support of the hurricane victims, Rotary’s partner “ShelterBox” has a response team on the ground in Texas to assess the need for emergency shelter in Houston and other impacted areas. “ShelterBox” is positioning tents, school kits, blankets, groundsheets and solar lights near the hurricane-devastated region as it communicates with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and state agencies to determine urgent shelter and aid needs. They are also providing tents for use as ‘privacy tents’ to be pitched within the convention centers housing families that have been evacuated.

If you have questions or need further information, don’t hesitate to contact me. We are “Rotary: Making a Difference.

Yours in Rotary Service,

PDG CHUCK Arnason”