Not Just Tourists gives travellers a way to help bring medical supplies to areas in need
A local organization is making our world a little better by helping to deliver excess medical supplies to places that need them. The Manitoba chapter of Not Just Tourists has been operating out of donated space in Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in St. Andrews and residents can contact them before their next vacation to deliver a suitcase of supplies to less fortunate places.
Tim Blazanovic, coordinator/director of the Manitoba chapter of Not Just Tourists explained that the group is a true non-profit. Everyone involved is a volunteer and they accept no financial funding from anyone.
“Everything is donated to us, our supplies are donated to us, our space is donated to us, our volunteers donate their time, fuel, etc. for this. That’s the best way to help people is from the heart. That way, there’s no questions about it, we do it out of the kindness of our heart, because we want to help people,” he said.
It’s called Not Just Tourists because when a person volunteers to bring a suitcase full of medical supplies to a country in need they are not just a tourist going on vacation.
“We supply them with a suitcase of medical supplies with a letter for customs explaining that it’s a gift from Canadians to their country and their people free of charge. For that half an hour or an hour that it takes that tourist to go drop off [those supplies] to a hospital or clinic, they’re not just a tourist for that moment. They’re a humanitarian for that little bit,” said Blazanovic.
Blazanovic started the Manitoba chapter of Not Just Tourists after he went on vacation to Cuba. At that time, his parents had travelled previously to Cuba and advised him of the need and that he and his wife should take supplies and donations with them.
“Everybody goes to Cuba, it’s beautiful there and then we got there. And yeah, it is beautiful, the people are wonderful, and they’re also lacking all sorts of medical supplies and school supplies, and you name it everything under the sun that you could think of,” he said.
When Blazanovic came back, he realized that the people of Cuba needed more than just one suitcase of supplies and reached out to Not Just Tourists in Ontario who advised he start a local chapter.
Since then, the Manitoba chapter of Not Just Tourists has made donations not just to people in Cuba but also to Nepal, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Paraguay and more.
Blazanovic says that the list of medical supplies needed in other countries is very long.
“It could be anything from gauze, bandages, needles. You name it,” he said.
Not Just Tourists, of course, does not send volunteers with any supplies that wouldn’t be allowed into other countries or on flights.
Residents who want to participate in this program as part of their next vacation should contact Not Just Tourists at minimum two weeks before their vacation. From there, Not Just Tourists volunteers can walk you through the process and create a bag that suits the area you are travelling to.
Residents in our community who would like to participate but don’t have a vacation on the books can donate medical supplies, excluding prescription medications, that they purchase or they can get involved as a volunteer. Donors should note that Not Just Tourists doesn’t accept financial donations.
“We tell people to buy gloves, go buy bandages, Tylenol, stuff like that. Go buy it and donate that,” said Blazanovic.
He encourages anyone who would like to take part to reach out to them.
“If you have any kind of inclination and would like to try or if you’re interested [in learning more], you’re more than welcome to look at our website. If you are on Facebook, read some of the stories,” said Blazanovic.
To learn more about Not Just Tourists or to get involved with our local group visit njt.net.
