Renfrew Army vet collecting medical supplies for Ukraine
Like many Canadians upon seeing the images coming out of Ukraine, Renfrew resident Shawn Johnston felt helpless.
The 29-year-old is a retired combat engineer out of CFB Petawawa and a current volunteer firefighter in Horton Township. With a natural instinct to help, Johnston began collecting medical supplies at the beginning of March.
"I'm at a point in my life where there is nothing I can do to go over and help in person," Johnston tells CTV News Ottawa. "So this is something I can do from Renfrew County. Let the people of this community come together and do something to make a difference on the ground."
These supplies include gauss, bandages, tourniquets, tapes, sheers, gloves, antiseptic wipes, water bottles, water purification tablets, and rope.
"To date I've moved 31 large Rubbermaid totes and over 28 boxes of assorted equipment and supplies," says Johnston, as well as an additional $1,500 in monetary donations.
Johnston has solicited donations of supplies from around the community, utilizing drop off points at businesses like Ottawa Valley Coffee and his current employer Dagenais Construction.
A majority of his accruement came from the Renfrew County sector of the non-profit organization Not Just Tourists, who distribute medical supplies around the world, but could not move their stock due to the pandemic.
"We would have given him the equivalent of $150,000 worth of medical supplies," says Tanja Kisslinger, the program Director for Not Just Tourists Renfrew County. "Putting those together into trauma kits, wow. That would help hundreds of people."
Johnston just sent his first load of supplies to Ukraine earlier this week, but plans to keep collecting until the conflict has ended.
"My goal is when they get on the ground they can get to families and people that are in the community, that don't have access to the hospital, or people that are staying on the ground," Johnston says.
"There are so many people out there wanting a way to chip in and help, to come forward in some way," Kisslinger says. "It's all those little links and a web of love to make an initiative like Shawn's something beautiful."
Those interesting in donating supplies to Shawn Johnston can contact him at sdjohnston92@gmail.com.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trump fined US$1,000 for gag order violation in hush money case as judge warns of possible jail time
The judge presiding over Donald Trump's hush money trial has fined him US$1,000 for violating his gag order and sternly warned the former president that additional violation could result in jail time.
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
When grief and AI collide: These people are communicating with the dead
AI tools can offer recommendations, answer questions and 'talk' with users. But some users are using them to recreate the likeness of the dead.
Spike in 'violent rhetoric' since Oct. 7 attack from 'extremist actors,' CSIS warns
The Israel-Hamas war has led to a spike in 'violent rhetoric' from 'extremist actors' that could prompt some in Canada to turn to violence, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service warns.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
WestJet, mechanics union agree to tentative deal to avoid strike
A potential strike between WestJet and its mechanics union appears to have been avoided.
Russia announces nuclear weapon drills after angry exchange with senior Western officials
Russia plans to hold drills simulating the use of battlefield nuclear weapons, the Defense Ministry announced Monday, days after the Kremlin reacted angrily to comments by senior Western officials about the war in Ukraine and Moscow warned that tensions with the West are deepening.
Summer forecast: What to expect as El Nino weakens
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.