Making a Difference from the Sidelines
Team Rubicon, Bob Woodruff Foundation help Afya Foundation send medical supplies to Nepal
Sitting on the proverbial bench during a major disaster isn't easy when you've responded to more than your fair share of crises over the years. It’s even harder when a number of your friends are on the field, making plays.
Such was the case when a deadly, 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked Nepal and Team Rubicon rapidly launched its response to aid the impoverished nation, called Operation: Tenzing.
While unable to be there, as an experienced disaster public information officer I've looked for other ways to pitch in — from helping TR’s communications team craft advisories and pull media lists, to using my social platforms to encourage support.
Of course, I've had to balance this volunteer work with the duties of my day job at the Bob Woodruff Foundation … creating a sense of guilt that I wasn't doing enough.
That is until TR’s regional team in New York/New Jersey (Region II) posted an opportunity for a local service project with Afya Foundation, which collects and delivers critically needed surplus medical supplies, hospital equipment, and humanitarian provisions for crises worldwide.
They needed help sorting items for Nepal, and there was room for staff from BWF to take part. So, I enlisted the help of Megan and Charlie from our programs team to spend an afternoon at Afya’s warehouse in Yonkers, N.Y.
Beyond the welcomed break from our Midtown Manhattan office, it was great to connect with the local TR volunteers — many of whom I've worked with to rebuild Hurricane Sandy-damaged homes in the Rockaways, or for tornado and flood responses in Upstate New York.
There were also a few TR volunteers from neighboring Region I which covers New England. It was a reunion of sorts, as a year ago this very week Jill, “Bodhi,” and I were clearing tornado debris in Arkansas, after TR launched Operation: Rising Eagle.
It was also great to meet a few new faces, including Kelly who drove down from Rochester (roughly 5 hours) to take part — DEDICATION.
With TR being a BWF grantee, Megan and Charlie have a relationship with TR staff, but this was a rare opportunity for them to roll up their sleeves and feel the mission in action.
And there was definitely plenty of work to do for all.
Pallets of donated bags filled with various medicines had to be opened, so that expirations could be checked. Expired items were discarded. Relevant items would then be re-bagged, tagged and boxed up for shipment.
Medical bags were filled with the bandages and vital medical supplies that responders need as they venture into remote villages of Nepal.
Dozens of mattresses were loaded onto a trailer.
While some of the tasks seemed tedious, with so many of TR’s members being military veterans it was never long before somebody would crack a joke, and I don't think I heard a complaint all day (OK, maybe one or two).
Though the project was only scheduled to last 4 hours, no one ducked out when another pallet arrived 15 minutes prior to the anticipated finish. Team Rubicon’s volunteers were determined to accomplish the mission — leaving no extra work for Afya.
After all, time is of the essence in a disaster the size and scope of the Nepal quake. Well beyond the limits of Kathmandu are remote villages that are just now receiving aid.
And while I'm sure that most of us in that warehouse would jump at the opportunity to be there helping — in the game so to speak — there’s a lot of value to standing on the sidelines.
Just look to an NFL game, where the sidelines are filled with coaches, trainers and others who support the squad on the field. The same is true of a disaster response and its volunteers, or working to help our veterans find a renewed sense of purpose.
Ultimately, we only have so much say in whether or not we’ll be given the ball, but we definitely can chose not to sit on the bench … you just never know what might you might accomplish standing on the sidelines.
If you liked the above, you might be interested in this post by Team Rubicon:
