Phuket aid for Haiti tops B3m

PHUKET: Money raised in Phuket to help earthquake-stricken Haiti may surpass the 3-million-baht mark, as the Rotary Club of Patong has revealed it has sent more than 400,000 baht to its Canadian-based Shelter Box relief project.

Club president Woody Leonhard said matching donations from the Canadian government will result in more than 800,000 baht going to the charity.

Shelter Box is a worldwide Rotary project that is sending survival kits to the devastated Central Caribbean republic.

Mr Leonhard said Rotary members, other Phuket residents and others including the Rotary Club of St Moritz, Switzerland had raised 405,000 baht for Shelter Box.

“Our efforts are ongoing, with the next round headed to the Graubundner Club in Switzerland, where it will go directly to the Albert Schweitzer Hospital in the Artibonite Valley of central Haiti,” he said.

A recent Phuket Red Cross fundraising drive raised around 2 million baht for the country.

“It looks like Phuket has hit 3 million baht,” Mr Leonhard added.

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— Dan Waites