BY MATT MACKINDER
Clarkston News Editor

Clarkston residents Mary Sloan and her husband, Jeff Lichty, are ambassadors for ShelterBox USA, a national disaster relief organization, and members of the Clarkston Rotary Club.
The couple has been fundraising for ShelterBox USA since 2005 and recently received the President’s Volunteer Service Award for their efforts in 2019 to provide emergency shelter and supplies to people who have lost their homes to natural disaster or fled because of civil conflict.
“It’s nice to be recognized for helping others,” said Sloan. “ShelterBox is a great organization which started as a Rotary Club project in England. We first learned of ShelterBox in 2005 and were impressed by how a small group could have such a major impact on a family who’d lost everything in a disaster. We were amazed how, with a little effort on our part, we could have a major impact on someone’s life.
“By spreading awareness and raising money for lifesaving equipment, we can give people hope for their future. We were also struck by the fact that the need for shelter was not being met by other organizations. Today, ShelterBox is a major nonprofit organization that is a participant in natural and man-made disasters around the world. Along with Clarkston Rotary, we are glad to be a part of that organization.”
With help from Lichty and Sloan’s efforts of raising awareness and funds for ShelterBox, the organization provided shelter and life-saving supplies to more than 145,000 people in 11 countries, including Paraguay after severe flooding, Malawi after Cylone Idai, and Syria to support families affected by conflict, and many others.
Lichty said contributing to the local community is also a priority for he and his wife.
“We are also able to give back locally by being members of the Clarkston Rotary Club,” said Lichty. “Rotary gives us the tools to leverage our ideas and the ideas of all its members. Currently, the club is working with Clarkston Lighthouse. We spearheaded projects to help them with their food distribution, including replacing a very old, dilapidated van and providing a shed for storage. And, of course, Clarkston Rotary is well known for its Shoes for Kids program. Less well known are some of our projects dealing with youth leadership, youth exchange and scholarships.”
In announcing the award for Sloan and Lichty, Kerri Murray, president of ShelterBox USA, said she admires those individuals like the Clarkston duo.
“The lifesaving work of ShelterBox is only possible because of our inspiring volunteers like Jeff and Mary, whose service in their communities is ensuring families made homeless by disaster and conflict situations have access to essential shelter and supplies.” said Murray. “This distinction truly sets them apart as someone committed to serving others and making the world a better place.”
The President’s Volunteer Service Award is a special recognition presented on behalf of President Donald Trump.
The award is part of a national recognition program created in 2003 through the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation for individuals of all ages who contribute a significant amount of time to volunteer activities.
ShelterBox provides humanitarian aid in the form of family-sized tents and essential tools to start repairing and rebuilding homes.
Additionally, the organization’s kits and boxes contain items that help transform shelter into a home, like cooking sets, solar lights, blankets, water filtration, and mosquito nets. More than shelter, these items enable families to recovery following disaster, providing a way to keep communities and families together and allowing them the space to focus on the future.