It has been a very busy time over the last week and a half!  Starting with the weekend of Feb 14 and 15 when we received many packages from families wishing to send things to families that they sponsor or know through our various programs … families helping families!  In this picture a group from Quebec is delivering a large van-load of parcels.  All of course needing labeling in English and Russian.

Even before the containers arrived there was a lot of sorting, organizing and re-packaging to be done in order to organize the containers by destination and ensure that the right product gets on the right container.  Here, Neil Matheson, Randy Colpitts and Ed Grady prepare some furniture to make the trip.

Every box has to be inventoried prior to be loaded as exact inventory counts are critical to getting everything through Customs in a timely manner.  Here, Randy Colpitts takes a pallet load into the container to be unloaded and stacked by hand.

This picture shows 3 of our 4 fire fighters loading the fire fighting equipment that will be delivered, along with the firetrucks, to the Mogilev Fire Department.  From left, Tim Lidlow, Ken Sine and Paul Asmis.  The 4th (missing from this picture) is Jeff Snider.

We have described packing the container as a bit like playing “Tetris” on the horizontal!  The packages come in on a pallet and we have to try to fill every little hole and gap while making sure that nothing is being crushed or damaged.  We have had many volunteers over the past week and a half, this picture shows Ryan Abrams, Fred Wells, Dan McKenzie and Pat Yuille.

The 5 containers are loaded and on their way to the Port of Montreal, we will see them next on the ground in Belarus in just over a month.  Stay tuned for our (hopefully) daily updates during the delivery!

Eric McKenzie