Lake Taupō Rotary has pledged $2000 to the Rotary International Ukraine relief effort and is now asking for the local community to get behind it.
An array of prizes have been kindly donated by local businesses, including a children's playhouse from Bunnings Taupō, and will be raffled off at the Market Central Taupō at Northcroft Reserve on June 19.
A street collection will also be held in the lead-up to the big raffle and club members will be dropping leaflets in letterboxes asking for donations to the cause.
Lake Taupō Rotary international director Donald Bowie says you would have to have your head in the sand to be unaware of the crisis in Ukraine.
"It's devastation really. Internationally, Rotary has really come together to focus on Ukraine," he says.
"It has asked for clubs around the world to support the Ukraine refugees and those still left in Ukraine. We're doing that through delivering shelter boxes, a worldwide refugee and disaster management toolbox that includes tents, cooking equipment and some food.
"We're delivering that through the Rotary clubs of Poland, Estonia and Germany as well as money going directly to Rotary clubs in Ukraine."
Donald says there is a real sense of community in banding together with other Rotary clubs all over the world.
"This is the network that makes Rotary such a wonderful organisation to belong to, to know that we are linking up and contributing from far afield, into a network that we can rely on in terms of sending funds and knowing they'll go to the places of greatest need.
"Those decisions are being made by Rotarians in Ukraine, rather than decisions being made in governments in Wellington or Washington DC. We're not contributing to any weapons or anything like that, Rotary is never going to deliver anything like that, this is all humanitarian aid to the people who really need it."
According to Rotary International, in western Ukraine, Rotary members in Lviv are working with local authorities and major hospitals to provide urgent medical supplies and equipment.
ln Slovakia and the Czech Republic, Rotary clubs have partnered with a railway company to offer transport to refugees and deliver essential items.
ln France and Germany, Rotary members set up a central fund and working group to coordinate aid for Ukraine and border countries. Rotary clubs in Poland have taken swift action to provide food, water, medical equipment, and transport and shelter for Ukrainian refugees.
Rotary clubs are also coordinating with partners to explore effective solutions to increased humanitarian needs. Rotary's disaster response partner ShelterBox is collaborating with Rotary members in Eastern Europe to provide essential supplies and access to temporary housing for those who have left Ukraine, along with medical and shelter supplies for communities in Ukraine.
Items include mattresses for people living in schools and sports centres, shelter kits with tools and rope, hygiene kits, winter jackets, solar lights, and water carriers to help people survive as they are forced to live in damaged buildings.
You can donate to the cause at givealittle.co.nz/cause/stand-strong-ukraine.
To stay up to date with Lake Taupō Rotary and to find out when the Ukraine street appeal will be held, go to https://www.facebook.com/laketauporotary.
