Feb. 3, 2010

H2H board members Roger Medley and Albert Wiens arrived in the Domincan Republic yesterday and have had a busy day purchasing essential supplies that will not be arriving on the containers.

The first item on their "to do" list was a major purchase. A group of anonymous donors helped H2H purchase a large Diahatsu pckup which we will be using to transport food. Once at H2H, the truck will be used for transporting supplies and people as well as removing rubble from our compound. During the negotiation process, Roger and Albert told the dealership owner about our work, and he jumped on board to help, offering H2H his warehouse to store supplies, and then sent out a couple of his employees with a cube van to help with transportation!

With Elna's list in hand (Luc's wife), Roger and Albert found a DR version of Costco and got most of their supplies there. They've picked up alcohol for infections, cutlery, juice jugs, personal hygiene items, laundry soap, bleach, underwear, canned meat and vegetables, juice, sugar, salt, ground corn and other food items. They then purchased shovels, sledge hammers, hand saws, blades for electrical saws, tarps, electrical cords, hammers and nails. They intend on picking up barrels of diesel and lumber tomorrow. The lumber will be used to support the existing temporary shelters and to create new ones.

Our well water, unfortunately, tested positive for ecoli a couple of days ago, so we've also purchased chlorine to treat the water until we can get a proper filtration system.

Here at home the food collection is still in full swing:

• The Abbotsford Police and Fire Departments have a little competition going on to see who can bring in the most rice. So far we have received 250 bags - suffice to say, the Fire Dept. needs to step it up a little if they hope to win!
• Raft River Elementary school from Clearwater, B.C. donated 200 lbs. of rice and $840 through a bake sale and twoonie drive.
• Lotus Light Charity Society from Vancouver has given us 20,000 lbs. of rice.
• The tri-cities are coming together on February 20 and 21 at the Coquitlam Centre mall to fill a 40 foot shipping container with basic baby supplies. With the support of local businesses and residents, local Mom's Julie Rogers and Jacqueline Goring are on a mission to fill a container with diapers, powdered formula, children's vitamins, children's Tylenol and other baby supplies to be shipped directly to the H2H Children's Home for distribution to orphanages.