4th annual Valentine's dinner and dance in support of Chernobyl

Eight empowered women living in Bolton, Palgrave and Caledon East belong to Beta Sigma Phi, an international women's organization. Their chapter, Xi Zeta Delta, is one of four in Bolton and is very involved with service both at home and abroad.

In the past two years, they have provided Christmas meals and gifts to the children and parents of two families referred by Hospice Caledon. After learning about a local Cedar Mill's University student, Christina Guzzo, and her trip to Kenya to teach children about AIDS through the Queen's University outreach program, the members rallied around her to help raise funds for her project.

Members of the chapter include Ann Davidson, Valerie Swain, Fionna Ferguson, Elaine Holgate, Jennifer Hopson, Delphine Wilcox, Donna Thompson and Libby Senior.

In 2003, two orphans from Belarus visited the Rotary Club of Palgrave for a dinner meeting after they were discovered staying at Leisure Time Campground with a host family. Here they learned the plight of these forgotten children and the wonderful works done by the Canadian Aid for Chernobyl. One of those present, Jennifer Hopson, was extremely impressed and asked the members of her chapter to plan a Valentine's dinner dance to aid the orphans.

The rest is history as more than $18,000 has been raised over the past three years. The three orphans sponsored by the chapter have continued their studies after leaving the orphanage with one girl, Ania, now attending the University of Mogilev.

Hundreds of orphanages were constructed in 1946 post war to accommodate the thousands of children left homeless. Today, 60 years later, they remain filled to capacity with little or no improvements.

In February, six containers will be packed in Brockville and then trucked to the port of Montreal to be shipped to Belarus where they will be met by volunteers.

This March, Jennifer, a long-time resident of Caledon East will be joining 17 volunteers and will assist with the annual delivery of humanitarian aid to Belarus. For 10 days, she will experience the way of life of those surviving the world's worst, man made nuclear disaster in history.

In 2007, the Canadian Aid for Chernobyl launched its 6th annual food drive. The goal is to deliver 700 boxes with 65 pounds of staple food products (consisting of pasta, rice, flour, sugar, tea, canned meats, jam and peanut butter, bar soap and oral hygiene products) to seniors, single mothers or families on social assistance and families with handicapped children. Before Christmas, members of the Rotary Club of Palgrave purchased 45 boxes.

In addition to the food boxes, CAC delegates will be hand delivering more than 1,000 humanitarian boxes packed and shipped in containers from Canadian families to families living in the contaminated region. They will also deliver a year's supply of hygiene products, clothing and footwear to three orphanages in the Mogilev region. Twenty-seven other orphanages will received soap and some needed renovations such as washrooms, showers and flooring.

The Chausy orphanage is now like an extended family to Dave Shaw, the director of the Canadian Aid for Chernobyl, as the children look for him every September and March when he visits. Jennifer looks forward to visiting the orphans that the sorority members have corresponded with over the past three years through a translator who is mother to one of the invalid children.

The Guardian Angel Program will deliver food, toiletries, soap and laundry detergent to 116 families with disabled children. Thirty of the poorest families now have Canadian sponsors who assist them with their day-to day struggles.

The Orphan Education Program provides 70 orphans who are sponsored by Canadian families some stability, security and encouragement. A bond of trust is developed that the orphans have never experienced before through letters to their sponsors exchanged monthly. As children have to leave the orphanage at age 16, many through despair and without further education become prostitutes, commit suicide or end up in jail for stealing food. Many are relocated to other villages or cities and there is little or no government support.

Last year, a photographer from Ottawa, Michelle Valberg, accompanied the volunteers and took hundreds of pictures. These were displayed at the Brockville museum last summer and have now been given to the organization.

Some of them will be on display at the Valentine's dance as well as a video that has been made.

In March 2006, the orphans were taken to the Mogilev Zoo and to the Mogilev Hockey Palace. A Canadian Tire Store in Kanata, Ontario donated skates, hockey equipment and jerseys which were proudly worn. The director of the canteen was asked to prepare for 110 hungry children and staff with Coke, chips and sweets.

Families helping families! What will your help provide?

As little as $20 will provide toothpaste, toothbrushes and hygiene products to orphans, invalid children and families; $50 will provide 70 pounds of first quality food for families; $100 will provide up to $5,000 of urgently needed medicine to orphanages and hospitals; $500 will support a family with an invalid child or an orphan pursuing an education; $1,000 will provide up to $50,000 of urgently need medicines for regional hospitals and bathroom renovations to one of the 27 orphanages in desperate disrepair.

Together we can make a difference in the lives of so many orphans. We don't have to look any further than Caledon to make a huge impact! Please consider giving us your support! Providing hope to a nation - a village, a child.

The Canadian Aid for Chernobyl is made up of volunteers with 99% of funds received going to the people of Belarus as described.

The 4th annual Valentine's Dance at Glen Eagle Golf Club is on Saturday, Feb. 10.

This year promises to be the best Valentine's dinner dance ever with a silent and live auction.

Tickets are $60 per person. Cocktails at 6 p.m., dinner at 7, dancing to follow. Reserve your table now. Tax receipts will be given to tables of eight or more from the partial donation received from each ticket.

For tickets or to make a donation, please call Libby Senior at 905-584-9358 or Valerie Swain at 905-583- 0088.