Therefore, I continue to be delighted that, through The Lions Belarus Trust, and through the District 105SE Shoebox Appeal, we are able to do something positive to easy the plight of the less fortunate people of the region. I congratulate all those who make the Shoebox Appeal such a huge success every year, and I am pleased to be able to take part.
Howard Lee, Past International Director, Lions Belarus Trust Chairman.
On 16th September a 44ft articulated curtain sided truck left Queenborough on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent loaded to every available inch with goods for the orphanages, schools, families and children of the Gomel Region of Belarus, the area in Eastern Europe most affected by the Chernobyl Power Station Disaster 23 years ago.This lorry marks over a decade of service by District 105SE andMD105, to the people of Gomel region led by Past International Director Howard Lee, who has visited the Region and been personally involved in many projects throughout that period.
It is amazing where all the goods come from every year and the generosity of the donors.We had new and second-hand donated items, shoeboxes filled with care and affection for the children who would receive them.After an article in the local paper we had people turning up at the door with donated goods.The total load was 31% heavier than last year and we were absolutely delighted that the clubs, members and supporters in District 105SE have exceeded all expectations again.
Typically Orphanages in Gomel Region each cater for about 150 to 200 children who live and learn there 7 days a week from the age of 4 to 16 or 18. These Orphans are both genuine orphans as we understand the term (life expectancy for certain social groups is very low) or social orphans created by the fact that their parents are incapable for many reasons of looking after them.Life expectancy among those affected by diseases caused by radiation is very low and many parents are too ill or destitute to care for their own children.
This year’s shoebox appeal will touch hundreds of children and families through the Charity “Heritage of Chernobyl”, a Gomel based Charity set up by the State to help these children. Members of Gomel Lions Club work closely with the Charity. The Charity accepts delivery of our Lorry load of shoeboxes, bulk goods and parcels and distributes it over a period of a couple of months.The load included over 500 personally addressed cases of goods and shoeboxes to about 180 individual addresses which are based in Schools, Orphanages, Kindergartens, Housing estates, Large destitute family groups, Single Parent family groups.
Thanks to generous financial donations to the project we were able to support an initiative by a Member of Gomel Lions Club to set up an interactive Computer facility destined to integrate
Physically disabled young people back into the community.In the former USSR physically disabled people are often hidden from public gaze and do not have the support which we would expect in this country.We provided three new high specification computers specifically for this project.The load also included specialist goods such as a technical book requested by the Ophthalmologist at School 27, where The Lions Belarus Trust under the leadership of PID Howard Lee has set up The Lions Centre of Excellence for Children’s Eye Disorders.
Of the 11,560 kg of goods on the lorry the load included over 1.3 tonnes of new and S/H checked and refurbished Computers and laptops plus computer spares and printers, 1.75 tonnes of Clothing, Toiletries, Toys, Paper, Books, Stationery, Bicycles, Sewing machines, Knitting machines, Hand Tools, Lawn Mowers, two wonderful console organs and a miscellany of other items of everyday life, and they are overjoyed to receive them.We also provided yet another orphanage with a heavy duty petrol driven brush cutter so that they can cut the grass around the premises.
We are delighted at the continued success and thank everyone who played any part in its operation from packers, sorters and lorry loaders, children and schools who donate shoeboxes, Clubs who purchase goods to make up both bulk supplies and shoeboxes, those clubs and individuals who donate both time, expertise and money to the project and our many supporters and especially the provision of warehousing and loading facilities, which made our task so much easier.
PCC Chris Iles, District 105SE Special Projects Chairman.
