DAC Stories
Disaster Aid Canada Pivots to Online Club Presentations

Disaster Aid Canada Pivots to Online Club Presentations

June 21, 2020
Gerry Beltgens, the Executive Director of Disaster Aid Canada enjoys meeting with Rotary Clubs and Rotarians in person. In March of 2020 he was booked solid with 3 upcoming District Conferences, the International Conference in Hawaii and face to face presentations with another 6 Rotary Clubs. He was planning a trip to Ontario to meet with Clubs in the Greater Toronto Region in late April. That all came to a grinding halt when COVID-19 tore its way into public life.
 
 
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Rotary Club of Ladysmith Donates Emergency Preparedness Kits to the Town
Rotary Club of Ladysmith Donates Emergency Preparedness Kits to the Town
 
Sandra Milne, 2019/2020 Rotary Club of Ladysmith President and the LSS Interact Club presented 5 Emergency Preparedness Kits from Disaster Aid Canada to the Mayor Aaron Stone, Fire Chief Chris Geiger and Bill Drysdale from Ladysmith Search and Rescue. The event was held in front of the Fire Hall on Friday June 12. 

Disaster Aid Canada has recently moved its operations from Victoria to Ladysmith. Emergency supplies and tents will be stored in Ladysmith as it is an economical, central location with quick access to transportation, airport and ferries. There will be over 100 tents and materials for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief Kits stored in Ladysmith for international and domestic relief programs.
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Food Aid for the Mayan Villagers in the Lake Atitlan area of Guatemala

Please Help us Prevent Starvation by Providing Food and other Aid to the Mayan Villagers in the Lake Atitlan area of Guatemala

UPDATE, June 16, 2020 - Disaster Aid Australia has signed on as a Collaborating Country Partner and have donated $4,500.00 towards the Guatemalan Relief Program!
 
UPDATE, June 1, 2020 - Disaster Aid UK&I have signed on as a Collaborating Country Partner and have donated $3,500.00 towards the Guatemalan Relief Program!
 

Donate now at:  https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/49533

Most Mayans are marginal farmers or work at minimal wage for the 22 families that control 80% of the land in Guatemala. Key right now is Covid-19 induced unemployment and lock-down shelter-in-place.  Many markets are closed and villagers are unable to shop for food. People are literally starving in their homes.
All supplies to be locally sourced. The Mayan Women’s Groups in San Lucas Toliman and San Antonio Palopo know how and where to obtain and distribute supplies. 
 
The funds raised by this special appeal will be distributed by Disaster Aid Canada with the assistance of Canadian Rotary Clubs (Ladysmith, Chemainus, and Nanaimo) and the Mayan Women’s groups with whom the Rotary Clubs have collaborated for years in local projects.

Disaster Aid Canada donated $1,000.00 to provide emergency support for the 2 villages on May 22. Since then we have raised over $10,000.00 to prevent starvation. Thank you for your generosity! We will be able to help these communities with more food soon through your donations. Click "Read more..." to get the latest update from Lake Atitlan.
 
 
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Fort McMurray Flooding Relief Fund

Fort McMurray Flooding Relief Fund

The Fort McMurray 2020 Flooding Relief Fund has now been set up. We are working with Rotary District 5370 and the two Rotary Clubs in Fort McMurray along with community organisations to ensure that relief funds are used in the community for victims of this disaster.
 
 
Come Hell or High Water - Fort McMurray is resilient!
Fort McMurray has seen it's share of Disasters in the past 4 years. In 2016 they were devastated by the forest fires that destroyed 3,244 buildings and did cost 13.3 billion Canadian Dollars. The decline of the oil industry has been devastating on local jobs and businesses and the Corona Virus has closed more businesses and now the Athabasca has a 13 kilometre Ice dam that has inundated the city damaging 1,300 buildings and forcing the evacuation of more than 13,000 people.

But you can help - Disaster Aid Canada is working with Rotary Clubs and Community Organisations to bring relief
 
 
 
 
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Rotary and Emergency Preparedness 

Disaster Aid Canada and the Rotary Club of Ladysmith Support Community Emergency Preparedness

While it is hard to not go out, not to be able to visit or shop; there are still things you can do. How about helping your community prepare for the next Natural Disaster?
 
Rotary Clubs and other organisations can help communities with their emergency preparedness programs. For Rotary Clubs it is often possible to access District Grants and Community Gaming Grants. Other organisations may be able to receive gaming grants or have access to other sources. If you are interested in working with Disaster Aid Canada to support Emergency Preparedness in your community you can reach us at info@disasteraid.ca.
 
 
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News and Updates - Feb 2020 Newsletter

The Disaster Aid Canada February Newsletter is out.

Disaster Aid Canada provides Australian Bushfire Relief
Update on the Bahamas and Hurricane Dorian 
Handmade Dresses and Soccer Uniforms
DAC and Ladysmith Search and Rescue - Emergency Preparedness Hub
Disaster Aid Canada and Disaster Aid International
Information and other Organisation Members

Disaster Aid Canada Collects $60,000 for Australian Bush Fires Relief
Disaster Aid Canada Collects $60,000.00 for Australian Bushfire Relief
Gerry Beltgens, Executive Director, Disaster Aid Canada
 
Disaster Aid Canada (DAC) has received more than $60,000.00 Canadian in donations from across Canada for Australian Bushfire Relief. On Friday, February 7th we made a wire transfer to Rotary Australia World Community Services (RAWCS) at the RBC Branch in Ladysmith. In the photo are Sabrina Morgan, Administration, Sandra Milne, Rotary Club of Ladysmith President,  Frank Elsom, DAC President, Jake Buinewood, DAC Director and Gerry Beltgens, DAC Executive Director.
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Puerto Rico Earthquakes
Puerto Rico Has been hit by a swarm of earthquakes ranging from the 6.4 that did most of the damage on January 7, a 5.9 on January 11 and at least another 44 measuring over 4.00 on the scale. The aftershocks have made it difficult to provide support as bridges and roads are damaged or closed. Shelters are housing around 8,000 people and another 4,000 are in non-traditional shelters. We are working with Rotary Clubs on the Island to address the areas that are not getting the bulk of the international relief. 
To donate to this fund please Click the Button 

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