Annual report 2013 Ikaria Friends

From Kirsten Grimm

Dear Ikaria friends, The New Year is now 6 weeks old and hopefully you all got off to a good start. A few good wishes now come from us and we would of course like to thank you very much for your support in 2013!! After we were able to co-finance the heating costs with donations of €6,000 in three different school buildings in Raches and Agios Polykarpos by March 2013, the relief for 240 children and their parents was great.A friendly relationship with the headmistress, Ms. Vitsara, was formed while drinking coffee together in Christos and so she could say: ,,The most important thing is that we were able to get to know each other!”Some of you were there when the donation was handed over, otherwise you can read the report under “Heating oil for the school: first tank filling guaranteed!”

We decided to continue supporting the schools with the high heating costs in the winter of 2013/14. Even though the winters in Ikaria are milder than here, it is extremely cold in Rahes, 500m higher up, the houses are poorly insulated like everywhere else in the south and the price of heating oil is unimaginably high for us (1.40 €/L). Despite petitions from schools in Athens, the prospect of government payments is being held back.

Dear Ikaria friends, through your loyalty and regular or one-off donations you ensure that new projects are brought to our attention.

Ursula was able to raise her finger when it came to financing the renovation of the elementary school in Rahes. It’s hard to believe and very Greek, but the toilet block is outside the school building. Not a problem in summer, but in autumn and winter the children are already soaked after walking 50 m or they avoid the journey altogether… Sitting afterwards in wet clothes in the already sparsely heated classroom is not for the very little ones just health-promoting. You can read about the “Dry Foot to the Toilet” project on the website and almost the necessary support money has already been saved in the Swiss account for the cultivation. Thanks a lot!

Finally, and as an outlook, I would like to tell you about a completely different special event, namely a benefit event organized by the Diagoras sports club in Rahes in October. At the end of our dance week with Ursula we were able to take part and celebrate with the locals of the region. The delicious food and delicious home-made wine were served at the tables by the young club members and they also showed great skill and endurance while dancing together. Everyone pitched in to ensure that the festival was a success and that the entry and tombola with the fun prizes then benefited the club. I was really excited and touched by how everyone was committed to the club. And Ursula, your report about chess tournaments, volleyball, basketball and soccer championships, etc. for young people made me think in this direction too. Maybe the Ikaria friends could support youth work here at some point….

Dear Ikaria friends, the current donation level in Germany and Switzerland totals €7,400! It will be with great pleasure that I will inform the schools about this and send them the funds collected. Your support makes the realization of our projects possible and we would like to thank you very much on behalf of the schools!

The fundraising efforts continue and new Ikaria friends are warmly invited!

That’s what I call solidarity in practice!

So if you feel solidarity and want to help, you can support us with a small donation! The children of Raches thank you very much! To the donation accounts…

Read more on this topic:
December 2013 Primary school: Going to the toilet with dry feet
Article: The crisis has many faces
What we have achieved so far: Heating oil for the schools
July 2013 Anniversary: 1 year of Ikaria Friends
December 2012 Heating oil for the schools in Raches – An interim report
October 2012 Heating oil for the school First tank filling guaranteed!
September 2012 appeal for donations: heating oil for the school
Ikaria Friends: Who is collecting donations for whom?
June 2012 how it all began: Ikaria support group
January 2012 Oskar and the graduating class
Hope, a poem by Ingrid Heidrich-Siggelaki