We are pleased that Stratford once again can help those underprivileged in a far off land, namely Burma.

One of our neighbours, Pam Rogers, 10 years ago co-founded an organization, DARE Network, on the Thai/Burma Border. The letters stand for Drug and Alcohol Recovery and Education.

The military regime of Burma is a narco-dictatorship, which means they keep their economy alive by growing and exporting heroin and methamphetamines. Most of the heroin on the streets in Canada came from Burma.  

The military rule of Burma started in 1962 and since then many, many persons calling for democracy have been massacred! Over 150,000 people who have fled Burma are now in nine refugee camps in Thailand on the Burma border and more continue to hide from the regime in the jungles of the Burmese ethnic border states. DARE is working in all nine of these camps which are spread along 1,000 kilometres of the border.

Pam Rogers sometimes comes home to visit her mother and siblings in Canada for a few weeks each year, but this time she is spending about six months to see how the DARE group get along without her. Needless to say, her heart and soul are with the group as she attempts to raise funds to help support them. Pam is collecting returnable liquor, wine and beer containers at 114 Ballantyne Ave.

My wife and I have travelled on work missions to some of the so-called “undeveloped” countries and have found that we are “millionaires” in comparison to most of the people we have met there.
Our dollar goes a long way in their local currencies.

In the case of DARE Network, the story is the same. For example, the money from a 24-pack of beer containers will treat one of their recovering addicts for a week and the proceeds from five liquor/wine bottles will feed a person for a day!

So, let’s get together Stratford and show our help and appreciation for a Stratford volunteer who is helping make this world a better place. Take your liquor/wine/beer containers to 114 Ballantyne Ave. (near the main Festival building) or call 519-301-3384 for pick up until mid-September.
Cash donations are also most appreciated if you do not have bottles to donate. You can get a charitable tax receipt for amounts over $25. Contact Pam for details. If we each do a “little” to support this project, it all adds up to make a “BIG” difference. Let’s do it Stratford!
Thank you.

Barb and Ross Penton
Stratford