Many people in Fernie know of my involvement with the Disaster Aid Agency ShelterBox. Whether it has been through school fundraisers following Typhoon Haiyan, seeing the tent set up at the Wapiti Music Festival or knowing that I have gone out on deployment myself, the people of Fernie have always been very supportive of the work we do.

When the earthquake in Nepal occurred on Saturday April 25th many asked me if I was going over. Sadly no, I will not be going over in the immediate future. The main reason being is I have very recently returned from a Shelterbox deployment in Malawi Africa. This country, in souteast Africa, had been hit by the worst monsoon rains and flooding seen in 50 years. 4000 families in the area in which I was working had been displaced by flood waters. When I arrived these floodwaters had long since receded but the damage could not be undone. This is why I truly believe in the work ShelterBox undertakes. While the worlds attention is on Nepal it is the little known disasters that rarely see the front page which also receives our aid.

Although not Nepal this ShelterBox tent on Second Avenue Fernie will be my home and office for the next 4 days and nights. I am getting a lot of questions of who to donate to. People…Nepal needs emergency aid and eventually dollars to rebuild.

My charity of choice is www.shelterboxcanada.org Our first team is on the ground in Katmandu today. More are coming. My goal this week in Fernie is to raise enough for two complete emergency relief boxes ($2400 cdn). If I am not at the tent on 2nd Ave Fernie I’ll be back soon. I am still doing my day job.

Thanks to Doug Clapp for the prime real estate, my employer Larsen Whelan Ent (LWE) for there continued support and my family for my last minute ideas. Thanks everyone.

Andre Bloemink
ShelterBox International Response Team