Wintec student gets ready for ShelterBox week

Today is no normal Saturday, today is the start of Big ShelterBox Week where people all over the world will be taking part in raising awareness and funds for ShelterBox, and so am I.

I like to think of it as though I am the main character in Cast Away, Tom Hanks, surviving on a deserted island with my mate Wilson. Only the deserted island is a paddock and Wilson is not a volley ball, but a Maltese dog named Cookie.

ShelterBox District Coordinator for central North Island, Michael Cahill, has been kind enough to provide me with one of their tents for the weekend.

ShelterBox was founded in 2000 by Rotarian, Tom Henderson, to provide disaster relief to those affected by natural or man-made disasters.

A ShelterBox is about the size of two large suitcases and contains: a tent; stove (which runs on dried animal faeces); cooking equipment; warm clothes and blankets; water purification; mosquito nets; and much more.

Mr Cahill says there are  people who call their ShelterBox home.

“We know of a family in in Mexico that have lived in their ShelterBox for four and a half years.”

Which gives me reason to believe my new home will be very comfortable, though I don’t see myself living in it for four years, but then you never know.

So my adventure begins and I will keep you updated via Twitter. I am sure there are many more hilarious things to come, like what I will use for a toilet.