About a year ago, I sent out a mass email about the idea to send a container full of donations to Antalaha, Madagascar. Within three months, the container was full!! Thanks to AUST & HACHMANN CANADA, the container is now on its way by boat from Halifax, Canada to Vohemar, Madagascar, and if all goes well weather wise, it will arrive here before Christmas. It was challenge to get everything picked up and then sorted out by category for shipping, but with the amazing help of the AUST & HACHMANN CANADA team, we did it! To read AUST & HACHMANN CANADA’s blog about the container, please click on this link: http://www.austhachcanada.com/joeys-gift-to-madagascar/

Here are just a few pictures of what is on it’s way.

Here is the entire list of items that we managed to collect:
24 boxes of used books and encyclopedias
71 boxes of used clothes and shoes for men/women/kids (6 boxes from PARASUCO)
9 boxes of used computers, printers, keyboards, cameras, laptops
11 boxes of toys and games for kids
4 boxes of used backpacks and school bags
9 boxes of school supplies, office supplies, medical supplies, and kitchen supplies
5 boxes of sports equipment
8 boxes of bed sheets, pillows, towels and linens
1 grass cutter
5 rakes
3 shovels
1 rocking horse for kids
11 bicycles for adults
8 bicycles for kids
4 scooters for kids
1 book shelf
7 walkers with wheels
26 pairs of crutches
12 walking canes
2 mattresses
1 filing cabinet
DVDs
10 boxes of new t-shirts with Macolline and A&H logo (650 t-shirts from ADVENTNORTH)
6 boxes of new soccer balls with Macolline and A&H logos (300 soccer balls from AUST & HACHMANN CANADA)
2 boxes of new baseball caps with Macolline and A&H logos (200 baseball caps from ADVENTNORTH)

I want to thank everyone that helped me to collect items that were needed and to also to thank everyone that made the efforts to generously donate supplies! Also, a big MISAOTRA (thank you) to Mr Eddie Fernard, Antalaha’s new Mayor, for helping me with the customs tariffs.

Here is list of those that participated:
-The Van der Walde family and the Aust&Hachmann Canada team: David van der Walde, Manon De Ladurantaye, Mina Fargnoli, Philip Bertrand, Christopher Richard, George Sutherland and Patricia Raymond, Mina Fargnoli’s family and friends: Sonia, Carlos, Victor, Sofia, Patty, Patrick, Annick, Audrey, Noah, Liana, Carlos, Jan Carlos, Anthony, Kayla, Anna Corso and family, Corso/Masone family. Incredible Mina, thank you!

Mina Fargnoli and Patricia Raymond played a huge role in making sure this all ran smoothly.

Carole Rocklin, David Moscovitch, Gloria Bruner, Shawna Adler, Jean Lebrun, Jonathan Adler, Debbi Adler, Karen Rocklin-Weare, Bobby and Elaine Moscovitch, Gerry Nichols, Howard and Suzanne and Eric Nichols, Dan Leger, Matt Caille, Rhoda Gordon, Carol Abramson, Pauline Rajabian, Maria Carriero, ALF, Sandy W, Mr and Mrs W, Debbie Bultz, Darren Quenneville, Dawn Gordon and many who wish to remain anonymous.

A special thanks to Terry Roth and his friends for gathering a huge chunk of the items donated and for helping me with the transport to get everything together.

Canadian communities and businesses:

Parasuco Jeans Montreal, Quebec
AdventNorth Apparel Burlington, Ontario
St. Leonard Quebec community
Cote-St.-Luc Quebec community
St. Lazare and Hudson Quebec community
Constance Bay Ontario community
Anonymous- medical supplies

The contents of the container will be distributed to:

The C.A.L.A. leprosy village

Hospitals throughout the S.A.V.A. region

City Hall of Antalaha

Macolline botanical sight workers

The local orphanage

Vanilla Orchid: the school for local physically and mentally challenged children

Local police department

A new English library at the C.A.L.A. shop

C.U.R.S.A. University