Albion News

Posted by Alex Krebs

UKRAINE UPDATE FROM JULY'S BIKE RIDE

"THIS is why I am a Rotarian!," says Alex Krebs, President of Rotary Club of Albion.  Here is the latest blog post from fellow Rotarian Thomas Hock, Rotary Club of Munchen.
 
“Sept. 18, 2022: Finally, the drugs are on their way!  It's actually unbelievable: My fundraising bike tour raised an overwhelming EUR 28,500! What a fantastic result - many thanks to all donors! A few weeks have passed since my return (and since the return of my bike) and I have been asked again and again, rightly, whether the medication has already been delivered and why it is all taking so long.
 
As is so often the case, there are many reasons, but the most important are that money was still being donated until mid-August and we first had to clarify what the funds should be used for most sensibly. There are also currently shortages in the logistics sector: many aid deliveries are being brought to the Ukraine and at the same time drivers are needed in the Ukraine for “normal” journeys: the grain harvest, normal business operations, so there is a shortage of vehicles and drivers. In addition, there is a diesel price of up to 8 euros per liter.
 
We were able to solve the problem with the vehicles by filling two ambulances, bought second-hand from the Munich Rotary Clubs, with the medication and thus still being able to use the transfer trips for the vans, which were necessary anyway. Drivers were also found, so that nothing stood in the way of loading the medication on Saturday, September 17th, 2022.
 
So while the Oktoberfest was opening, 4 brave Rotarians under the direction of friend Pannke and Irene Mindjuk, the tireless doctor and co-initiator of the entire project, carried out the "picking" of the medicines and filled the two (French) ambulances:  As mentioned in an earlier post, our "recipient clinics" request the medicines they need and we put them together, label the boxes with colored tape according to the recipient clinic, and send them on the journey.  Together with an infinite number of medicines, bandages and disinfectants, 4 urgently needed -mobile- ultrasound devices also went on the journey. The selection of medicines and aids has changed compared to the beginning of the war - currently people are being treated who have lived in Russian-occupied areas for 6 months and are malnourished or need to be reset to medicines because they simply did not have any. There are also more burns to be treated that occur during the offensive. I keep my fingers crossed for us, our drivers, and the helpers across the border that the two transports (one for the south, the other for the east of Ukraine) arrive safely and can save lives!”
 
In my conversations with Thomas I had dubbed this “Mission Impossible”, with all the requisite intrigue, stealth, cunning and bravery – his email to me dated 19 September 2022 was titled:  “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!”
 
Being a part of this, a ‘cog in the Rotary wheel’ so to speak, has been heartwarming and fulfilling-
LOOK WHAT WE CAN DO!
LOOK WHAT A DIFFERENCE WE CAN MAKE!
Time to take a moment and relish this feeling …
OKAY, what’s next? How can I help?