Tom Grant

ZELIENOPLE — A local volunteer has received an award for his efforts to help disaster survivors.

Tom Grant, Zelienople Rotary Club president, earned the President’s Volunteer Service Award last week for the fourth consecutive time for raising funds and awareness for ShelterBox USA.

“It’s really rewarding,” said Grant. “I made a lot of really wonderful friendships that I otherwise wouldn’t have made.”

Grant was recorded by ShelterBox as volunteering for 31 hours.

However, he said he had more hours from volunteering for all three days for Horse Trading Days, totaling 51.

“They (ShelterBox) didn’t know it was three days long, so they counted that as one day,” he said.

He received a silver award this year. Last year, he received a gold award.

ShelterBox is a humanitarian organization that delivers an emergency tented shelter and other lifesaving supplies to survivors of disasters and other crises.

The organization aided about 30,000 people involved in 19 disasters last year, providing families with disaster relief tents, cook stoves, water filters, blankets, mosquito nets, children’s packs and other essential equipment.

Grant traveled to various places to educate people about ShelterBox.

“I would say it’s the best charity no one has ever heard of,” he said. “I go around wherever I can to talk about it.”

ShelterBox said 2015 was one of its busiest years in its news release.

Each box distributed by the organization costs $1,000. Those who donate are given a tracking number to see where it is eventually delivered.

Grant has been involved with the organization since November 2011 when he was recovering from heart surgery. Since then, he has raised between $60,000 and $65,000 for it. This year, he has raised about $5,000.

He also spoke Tuesday to the Butler County Vocational-Technical School’s student body about the charity.

The award is a special recognition presented on behalf of President Barack Obama.

The announcement for the award came after National Volunteer Week, which was last week.

Grant said he and his wife, Marie, who also helps him promote ShelterBox, will co-chair the Rotary District Committee on Polio in July. Tom Grant is a polio survivor.