4 Sturdy Tarps

The next biggest hurdle, once you get past the hunger, (can you really ever get past the hunger?), is going to be the rain. And the rain will come. It's not a matter of if, really, but more when.

Tarps are easy to hang and can keep a bit of the rain off. Tarps are a huge item on our list! And they aren't expensive either. We got a great stack yesterday from the dollar store.

New Faces. Packed Boxes

I was early getting to Royalton yesterday and was met in the parking lot by two young people looking for the Containers of Hope group. They had heard about us, through the paper, TV and internet, and wanted to come and help. We had quite a few people just drop in to see how they could be of assistance. It was wonderful.

I stopped at Mountain Equipment Coop, on the way, to pick up the sleeping bags, sleeping pads and water bottles they had for us, and waiting for us at Royalton were also the Scouts Leaders from Fergus who had another truckFUL of tents. They returned a while later with yet another load. And a tractor trailer full of tents comes later today. Wow! We also arrived to see the mountain of sheets donated by the Marriott in Toronto.

Packing resumes tonight, Monday, at Royalton, at 5:30. This week is the final push. The last day for drop offs to the locations listed on the left is Wednesday as the packing must be finished on Thursday. Friday, the workers from Atlas Van Lines come to move all of our boxes in to the container to be packed nice and snug for their trip to the Dominican and then to Haiti.

If you haven't done so yet, get all your items in so they can be added. The stacks of boxes are amazing. Remember to stick to the items on the list!

Also, received an email from Mina Wahidi, Executive Director of the Compassion Society of Halton. They are added to our list of drop off locations. They are collecting Thursday ONLY. Make sure to keep checking the list to the left of places to drop off items as it grows day by day.

Thank you everyone!

5 Cans of Black Beans

Food, Food and some more Food. A little girl named Livvy came in today to drop off some donations. She is 8 and lives in Oakville. She told me that she has been watching the news and the most important thing that the earthquake survivors in Haiti need right now is FOOD. Then they need tents and tarps to keep them dry, she said, and then they will need houses. But for now, we really need to send them some food, (and blankets to keep them warm). That's the most important.

6 Cans of Non-Perishable Food

There was a lot of talk today about what can be shipped in this container, leaving Friday. This container is an emergency supplies container.

We have so many people who want to send shoes and baby clothes and school supplies, and many other wonderful things. We are called Containers of Hope for Haiti... we are hoping to pack and send many more containers, once this one is packed, shipped, sealed, delivered and distributed safely and successfully. One at a time... it certainly is easy to get carried away! That being said, don't get rid of all those other wonderful donations and things you want to send. Just hold on to them and we will keep you posted as to what's next!

In the meantime, 6 days left until this container, filled with so many fantastic things from all the generous people here in the GTA, leaves. If you haven't given yet and still want to, there's time!

As well, feel free to comment on anything I have written. It's nice to know people are reading. And so many people have so many great stories to share. I would love to hear them!

Meeting today, Packing tomorrow.

Great turnout at the meeting this morning. So many new faces, so many great ideas and lots of loose ends tied up!



The camera crew on Thursday was from Cogeco and the piece they are doing on Containers of Hope for Haiti was on Friday and will be on throughout the weekend too. So, check us out!

We are heading to Royalton again tomorrow at 2pm to resume the organising and packing and inventorying. More tents and tarps to come apparently and calls coming in to say that drop-boxes are full to overflowing. How exciting!

I am not sure how all this would have been possible, or progressed and developed so smoothly without the generosity of Victor Brewda and his staff at Royalton, (especially Adelia, who is always there to meet us with a smile), as well as Pat Moreno and the people at United Van Lines in Mississauga. They provided us with boxes and tape which has made the packing so much easier.

6 Days till departure!

7 Rolls of Toilet Paper

Or perhaps more like 700! Boxes and boxes, and still MORE boxes, were filled with rolls of toilet paper.

And many boxes of blankets and sleeping bags. And oh, so many tents! We have an amazing collection going. Scouts and guides have been helping too and the equipment and supplies they are sending are fantastic.

And that's right! 7 rolls of toilet paper means only 7 days left! I am still astounded at just how much has been done in just one week. It's hard to believe it was just 2 weeks ago that we were all gathered around a table breathing life into this dream.

First Big Day of Packing

And big it was! With over 20 volunteers organising and sorting and packing and moving and stacking and labelling last night, (along with a camera crew conducting some interviews), we managed to get over 120 boxes ready to go. They have been packed, checked, sealed, recorded and stuck with yellow tape by Anna and Lara so we don't record them twice.

The pile of collection items that had been dropped off when we got there was a little overwhelming. I wasn't sure we would manage to get it all done in a few hours, but we did. What a sense of satisfaction to see the stacks of boxes growing. Nice to see, and amazing to see that we are only alraedy about halfway there to filling this container. Laying out all the boxes as we have has really made apparent the true size of the container, and it's HUGE, so bring in your stuff and continue to spread the word. One week today that container is leaving.This was the end of the night, just the five of us left and the boxes neatly stacked.

Amazing!