It’s three in the morning, I can’t sleep, the rain is pounding on our tiled roof. Tomorrow, or let’s say today, is Isidore’s name day and therefore also his Panigyri, up in the mountains near the small hermitage. For us, this panigyri always ushers in summer. It is the first day of Panigyri on May 14th, which takes place exclusively outdoors and is eagerly awaited by everyone. It always falls during school time, usually during the week, and so it is one of the few Panigyris, in contrast to the summer Panigyris, where we are, let’s say, still “among ourselves”. If the weather permits, I and my family will drive to Isidor in the afternoon after school and the shop to light my annual candle in the small chapel and celebrate with the others.
After the Panigyri, a hard time begins for the students. The time of trials. All secondary and upper school classes are tested every year in all subjects. This lasts until around June 20th. For me, Isidor was also my secret milestone for the “Ikaria friends”. Yesterday the school reopened after the Greek Easter holidays. The schools received heating oil on credit from the gas station all winter long. We “Ikaria friends” have already paid for some of it, then a small sum of money trickled in from the ministry, and after that nothing more came. We waited. The ministry has promised funds, but these have not been received to date. The schools owe their heating oil to the gas station attendant. The heating season is definitely over and after a lot of back and forth and a lot of patience from everyone, I have decided that now is the time to transfer the money from our fundraising to the schools. In total, we were able to keep around 240 children warm in three different school buildings and contribute part of the heating costs incurred.
Here is an overview of our fundraising campaign “Heating oil for the school“:
Middle and High school Christos Raches 6classes 120 Children 3500€
Lower level Christos Raches 6classes 85Children 2000€
Lower level Agios Polykarpos 6classes 31Children 500€
At this point, on behalf of the schools, I would like to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your trust and your small and large donations! Every euro/franc counts and is definitely well spent!
We will continue to collect for the schools,Materially there is a lack at every nook and cranny. Broken window panes need to be replaced, the school rooms need to be painted at the end of June, a basketball hoop for the little ones’ playground, ink cartridges for the printer, copy paper. They don’t even have that! Students must purchase copy paper and bring it to schools so teachers can hand out mimeographs! Not to mention the larger expenses: the upper grades, for example, would need two computers for lessons, as an entire class of twenty children is introduced to the world of computer science on one computer and many children do not have a PC at home, balls for that Physical education classes, the kids have to bring their own, and so on and so forth. You don’t even know where to start!
Practiced solidarity:
So if you feel solidarity and want to help, you can contribute to supporting the schools with a small donation! The children of Rahes thank you very much! To the donation accounts…
Read more on this topic:
How it all began: fundraising campaign for heating oil for the school
Ikaria Friends: Who is collecting donations for whom?