The student members of the Rotary sponsored Interact Club at Northwestern Lehigh High School did various fundraisers earlier this year and raised $1,000 in support of the ShelterBox USA disaster relief program.

Sarah Overstrom, vice president and Jaedon Muhl, secretary of the Northwestern Lehigh High School Interact Club presented a check for $1,000 to Allan Syphers, the ShelterBox USA Ambassador for the Rotary five-county district 7430 at the Rotary Club of Allentown West meeting Aug. 13.

Then, Aug. 16, the Allentown West Rotary Club and its Northwestern Lehigh Interact Club students conducted another fundraiser as they sold candy and gave away balloons at "Night in the Country."

This event allowed them to exhibit a ShelterBox tent to the 15,000 attendees. Proceeds will go to buy another ShelterBox.

The Rotary Club also promoted its ongoing "Snack Pack" program which feeds needy children over weekends in the local school districts each year.

A single ShelterBox costs $1,000 and the main item in each box is a tent designed to house up to 10 people.

In addition there is a range of other survival equipment including thermal blankets and insulated ground sheets, essential in areas where temperatures plummet at nightfall. Where malaria is prevalent, mosquito nets are supplied, as well as life-saving means of water purification.

ShelterBox was founded in England in 2000 to provide shelter, warmth and dignity to people affected by disasters around the world.

The largest deployment was to Haiti with more than 30,000 boxes.

People have been served in over 90 countries and ShelterBox Response Teams have arrived within hours following 225 disasters.

There are eight Rotary clubs in the Lehigh Valley with over 400 members; and 44 clubs in the five-county District 7430 with about 1800 members.

Each is dedicated to helping others. Rotarians believe in "Service Above Self," and initiate and implement many projects all year long that address hunger, medical, and educational needs.