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| From Tanzania 2009 Photo Album |
By Paul Waldie
The Donors: The Dryden Family
The Gift: One million beds, and climbing, for impoverished children
The Cause: Sleeping Children Around The World
Murray Dryden was on a trip to Lahore, Pakistan, in 1970 when he tripped over a child sleeping on the street. Instead of just walking away, Mr. Dryden felt compelled to do something.
"It upset him," said Mr. Dryden's son, Dave. "And, it reminded him of his days during the Depression. ... It just hit him and it was like, 'No, this isn't right.' "
Mr. Dryden returned home to Toronto and told his wife, Margaret, that they had to start sending beds to street children in places like Pakistan and India. She agreed and together they bought a stack of bedding, clothing and mosquito nets and arranged to distribute the items to 50 children in India.
Their friends soon found out about the couple's effort and began donating money to buy more beds. That prompted the couple to create Sleeping Children Around The World, using their home as an office.
Over the years, SCAW has raised more than $20-million and now has 90 volunteers who work with agencies in countries across Asia, Africa and South America. This year the organization delivered its one millionth bed kit, made up of a mattress, mosquito net, clothing, school uniform and school supplies.
Ms. Dryden died in 1985 and Mr. Dryden in 2004. They donated their home to the organization and a $3-million fund to cover all future administrative costs. The donation has meant that every dollar donated to the charity goes directly to buying bed kit supplies.
The couple's children - Judy and former NHL players Dave and Ken - have carried on the legacy.
Dave is chairman of SCAW and is heading to India in February with Judy to deliver 4,000 kits (Ken, a Toronto area member of Parliament, wanted to go but couldn't because of his parliamentary duties). All of the kit supplies are bought locally and Dave said the organization hopes to deliver 75,000 kits next year.
"It's awesome," he said when asked what it was like to deliver a kit to a child. "You are out in the rural countryside and these people don't have anything. To get a bed kit like that, it has a huge impact on their lives.
"What we are finding is that by giving a kid a good night's sleep and then the clothing to go to school, and the school supplies, we really are having an impact on their education."
pwaldie@globeandmail.com
