In the early morning hours of Nov. 9, the world’s largest super storm of recorded history swept across the middle islands of the Philippines. It was more than three times the magnitude of Hurricane Katrina.
With sustained winds of 350 km/hr (190 mph), this typhoon quite literally levelled towns and villages in the islands of Samar and Leyte, the birthplace of local resident Lib Pulsifer.
Among the hardest hit city was Tacloban, where more than 10,000 people are feared dead, but many other smaller communities have been laid to waste and are suffering all the more because of their isolation. Families there are resorting to desperate measures for survival.
Local photographer and Lib’s husband, Craig Pulsifer, offers some practical ways local residents can help those who have lost everything to Typhoon Haiyan:
• Drop recycled cans/bottles into the “Children at Risk” bin at Hanna & Hanna’s Garden Centre. For the next few weeks, proceeds from the ongoing local bottle drive will be deposited to the Philippine Emergency Disaster Relief Fund of Action International Ministries in Manila, Philippines.
• Sort recyclables at Bill’s Bottle Exchange: contact Lindsay Pulsifer at 250-832-1343 for details or email lindspuls@hotmail.com.
• Donate online through Action International Ministries at www.actioninternational.org/donate.
“Lib and I are just volunteers with Action International, but we personally know the directors and the spartan ways of their leadership and ministry,” says Craig. “Therefore, we trust our gifts will get directly to ground zero in the Philippines with nominal admin fees.”
Customers can support Red Cross relief efforts in the Philippines by making a donation at any of the 195 BC Liquor Stores located in the province. These donations will help the Red Cross provide urgently needed assistance in affected communities. Until Dec. 9, customers may make donations of $2 or $5 and these donations will be matched by the federal government.