Rotary Club donates to expedition for ShelterBox USA
Erik Elsea accepts a check for $500 from Prairie du Chien Rotary Club President Char Bender, who also presented some mementos including the book “Rivertown Memories,” which chronicles the history of the Mississippi River in the Prairie du Chien area in text and photos. (Photos by Ted Pennekamp)
Erik Elsea spoke Wednesday evening to several Prairie du Chien Rotary Club members and area residents about his Mississippi River expedition to raise awareness and funds for ShelterBox USA.
By Ted Pennekamp
Rotarian Erik Elsea gave a presentation Wednesday evening in Lawler Park about his adventure canoeing the length of the Mississippi River in an effort to raise funds and awareness for ShelterBox USA. ShelterBox is an international disaster relief charity that provides temporary shelter and life saving supplies to displaced families.
Each ShelterBox typically contains a tent designed to withstand extreme weather conditions, water purification kit, blankets, tools and other necessities to help a family survive after a disaster. The contents of a ShelterBox are tailored to the nature and location of the disaster.
ShelterBox response teams distribute boxes on the ground, working closely with local organizations, international aid agencies and Rotary clubs worldwide.
ShelterBox was founded in 2000 in the town of Helston, Cornwall, UK. That same year, the Rotary Club of Helston-Lizard adopted it as its millennium project.
In 2002, ShelterBox’s American affiliate was adopted as a project of the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch in Sarasota, Fla. In 2004, ShelterBox USA was officially established as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
The Prairie du Chien Rotary Club sponsored Erik’s presentation Wednesday at the park shelter. About 25 people were on hand to listen to the presentation and ask questions.
Erik, 40, past president of the Cape Coral Rotary Club, in Florida, said his goal is to go from Lake Itasca, Minn., to mile marker 0 in the Gulf of Mexico in 90 days in an effort to raise $255,200 for ShelterBox, $100 per mile. He began his adventure on July 6 and his goal is to end on or about Oct. 6. He will be speaking to several Rotary clubs and at community events along the way.
“There is a strong connection between Rotary and ShelterBox which is very important,” said Erik, in noting that Rotarians donate quite a lot of funds to ShelterBox. “Most of the funds come from Rotary and from individual donations.”
In fact, the Prairie du Chien Rotary Club presented a check for $500 to Erik on behalf of ShelterBox USA Wednesday. Erik said 84.9 percent of all funds go directly to aid, the rest goes toward administration and other costs. “Eighty-five percent of funding going directly to disaster relief aid is pretty darn good,” he said.
Erik also has several sponsors for his trip including Jack Links, Vango Tents, Bending Branches Paddles and Nova Canoes.
Erik said he has enjoyed camping on islands along the route so far. During these peaceful times, he has been reading “Life on the Mississippi” by Mark Twain. He packs his own water and food, including a significant amount of dehydrated food. Of course, he has also enjoyed the hospitality of local folks in the river towns he has visited. He said the high water earlier this summer helped him for the first couple of weeks of his long river journey.
“It’s been amazing. I’ve wanted to do this for so long,” said Erik. “This has been a huge dream of mine.”
Erik said decisions about who gets the ShelterBox aid is often made on the fly because disasters happen suddenly and the logistics can be quite demanding. “You never know where or when a disaster will strike,” he said.
Depending upon where a disaster is, the ShelterBoxes will contain somewhat different types of aid. If aid is needed in a hot climate, for example, the ShelterBoxes will contain fewer blankets and more mosquito netting and other items for hot weather needs. A colder climate will have different needs. Also, aid for an earthquake would be somewhat different than that for a flood.
Those wishing to donate to ShelterBox as part of Erik’s adventure to help provide a ShelterBox for a family in need, can contact Sarah Robinson at srobinson@shelterboxusa.org.
More information and donations can also be made at the website erikelsea.com. Erik’s email address is erik@erikelsea.com.
The ShelterBox USA website is ShelterBox USA.org. Every $100 a person donates adopts a river mile on Erik’s expedition and supplies a family with a ShelterKit to repair their home after a disaster. For 10 river miles, you can buy a ShelterBox and supply a family with a complete emergency household including tent, blankets, solar lights, cookware, tarps, gloves and more.
