Scenes of happiness as Shoebox Appeal gifts are distributed to the people of Romania.
WIGHT LIVINGIT’S an idea which has spread Christmas cheer to thousands of children in Eastern Europe.
The IW Rotarians’ Shoebox Appeal involves not just the Island’s eight Rotary clubs but is a full-scale community effort to bring joy to some of the most deprived young people living in the former soviet state of Romania.
Started on the mainland in 1994, the Shoebox Appeal now involves Rotary clubs the length and breadth of the country.
The simple idea behind it is for a shoebox-sized parcel to be filled by volunteers containing much-needed gifts, such as toys, school equipment and clothing.
Last month, more than 3,600 shoeboxes left the Island heading for under-privileged children in Romania.
A 40-ton lorry was loaded by Rotarians and the contents will be distributed to youngsters in orphanages and schools in Constanta, Romania.
A host of items, including clothes, school furniture, tents, sleeping bags and paper was packed by 36 Rotarians at Newport to begin its 3,000-mile overland trip to Eastern Europe.
Many of the knitted items were made by members of the WI and other voluntary organisations, as well as nursing home residents.
A number of schools were also involved in collecting shoeboxes.
As well as the Shoebox Appeal, Rotarians are involved in a huge range of charity drives on the IW. They send 'shelter boxes’ to disaster zones around the world as part of their international aid effort and, closer to home, have sent help to people affected by the recent floods in northern England.
They are even providing household equipment for a young woman, following a request from the police. On the IW, Rotarians org-anise the annual Young Chef of the Year competition
All this voluntary effort requires manpower. Rotarians are keen that more people join their organisation so the full range of services they provide will not be affected in future.
Rotarians have launched an Island-wide recruitment campaign aimed at getting younger people to join one of the Island’s most high-profile voluntary organisations.
Of particular interest are people aged between 30 and 50, whose combination of age and professional expertise Rotarians feel is just what is needed to breathe life into the organisation.
Former engineer Barry Reeves has been a Rotarian for a decade and works as publicity officer for the organisation, having previously been president of Shanklin Rotary Club.
He said: "We need new blood and new ideas. And as well as the serious stuff, there is a lot of fun as well."
Bill Wyke, the Rotarians’ district disaster officer, has made two trips to Romania, the latest last September, to view the vital work done by the organisation.
And important links have been forged between Rotarians on the IW and the Rotary Club of Constanta, which will see a party of schoolchildren from Romania and five teachers visiting the IW next year to find out about life in the west.
Mr Wyke said: "Some of the children have never been out of Romania. The children will learn about the economics in this country, what is good and what is bad."
During his visit to Romania, Mr Wyke said he had been struck by the poverty in the Eastern European country.
He said: "The cities are like any other city in the world but you go five miles outside the city and it is like travelling back in time 100 years.
"There is no public transport, roads are dirt tracks, people live off food they can grow in their back gardens. The problem is that when they were part of the Communist bloc, they all had jobs but now, as members of the EU, tractors have replaced them.
"Unemployment benefit out there is very small and a man, a wife and two children have to live on around £12 a month."
Some families are so poor they are even unable to buy pencils for their children when they go to school.
Mr Wyke added: "What shocked me the most was the level of poverty. They have no work for between seven and eight months a year."
Anyone who wants to get involved with Rotarians on the IW and help with the Shoebox Appeal, or other projects, can call either Bill Wyke on 01983 405471 or Barry Reeves on 501983 27804.