BY LOH FOON FONG
PETALING JAYA: Two grandfathers have no qualms about sweating it out and getting themselves dirty just to help flood victims in the east coast return to their normal life.
Disaster Aid Australia response team (DART) member Dave Tuzewski, 69, from Adelaide, and Disaster Aid USA ambassador and DART member Tore Knos, 65, from Los Angeles, were in Kelantan and Pahang from Jan 13 to 25 to set up 50 tents and two portable water filters for those affected by the massive floods.
Where most in their age group would have retired to a slower pace of life, they said they would seize every opportunity to be involved in disaster assistance.
“The joy of seeing people’s faces and them grasping your hand to say ‘thank you’ is so overwhelming. But I would tell them to thank their sponsors,” said Tuzewski at The Starheadquarters here yesterday.
Disaster Aid Malaysia (DAM), which was set up last year, had its first deployment when it sent the two highly trained DART members to carry out a needs assessment for a post-flood relief rebuilding communities programme.
Together with the Red Crescent Society, Nanyang Foundation and the Rotary Clubs of Kota Baru and Temerloh, they scouted some of the worst-hit areas, such as Kuala Krai, Kampung Guchil, Temangan, the Kuala Betis orang asli villages, Pulau Seratus, Pulau Renjuna and Kampung Teluk Renjuna.
Besides bringing family survival packs comprising huge tents and essential tools, together with water filters that could churn out 10,000 litres of water a day for a whole community, the two also trained volunteers on disaster aid.
Knos, who has a son, a daughter and a grandson, provided disaster assistance to war victims in South Sudan in 2012 and Typhoon Haiyan victims in Panay Island, Philippines, in 2013, while Tuzewski, who has two sons and two granddaughters, helped typhoon victims in the Philippines in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
Asked why they were passionate about volunteer work, Tuzewski said he had been involved in community service for most of his adult life while Knos said he wanted to give back to society in a bigger way after he retired four years ago.
They brought with them a wealth of experience which they could use to assist the people. Knos, a Rotarian of 10 years, is a master contractor, while Tuzewski, a Rotarian of more than 30 years, is a business consultant.
On how they kept fit, Tuzewski, whose diet is mainly fish and vegetables, said he walked 3km every morning to his gymnasium and did a 45-minute workout before walking back home. He also cycles in the mountains.
Knos prefers to take walks with his wife to the beach or cycle.
No comments:
Post a Comment