It can’t be said that Bettina Beham launched a big promotion. A few days ago, the woman from Moosach wrote in her Whatsapp status that a few relief supplies for Ukraine could be collected and taken to Poland by minibus. The idea actually: Beham wanted to make her garage available as a storage place, and Vitus Geier from Kirchseeon and Shalima-Naomi Rachl, a friend of his, then wanted to transport the whole thing. But the spontaneous mini-aid initiative is no longer able to get by with a minibus. Instead, a 40-ton truck and an escort vehicle will start from Kirchseeon on Friday towards Poland. The willingness to help is overwhelming, says Beham. Clothing, medicines, hygiene items, blankets and much more were handed in by the people who probably feel the same way as Beham himself: “I’m stunned and shocked about this war.”
It is important to her to get help quickly to the people who have now lost so much. On the off chance that the truck made available by the Eisenschmid company would not drive off. “We do it in cooperation with the Ukrainian church in Munich,” says the Moosacher. They have set up two warehouses in Poland, one in Wrocław and one closer to the Ukrainian border. From there, the relief supplies are then taken to where they are most urgently needed.
Five tons of relief supplies were collected in Poing in two days
Anyone who calls Lisa Demmer from the Eastern Europe Aid in Poing these days will hear one thing above all: the busy signal. She is also coordinating an aid campaign for Ukraine and has so many inquiries and deliveries that she doesn’t even come to lunch. In just two days, people brought around five tons of relief supplies to the Lanzl company on Hauptstrasse, and companies are also donating hygiene items and drinking water, for example. In addition, there are many things that can be used in the emergency shelters, such as blankets and sleeping bags, many of which are still in their original packaging, says Demmer: “It’s brutal, brutal in a positive sense!” The Eastern Europe Aid will bring the relief supplies to the refugee aid association in Erding. This has the necessary infrastructure and experience for transports of this type, says Demmer. However, collection will continue in Poing, and some of the items will remain there in order to be able to equip refugees from the Ukraine who are accommodated in the community.
For the past two days, the Eastern Europe Aid in Poing has been collecting for the Ukraine – and Lisa Demmer hasn’t had a moment’s peace. Five tons of relief supplies have already been delivered to her.
(Photo: Peter Hinz-Rosin)
When this will probably be necessary was not clear on Thursday. “The situation is still calm at the moment, but that can change hourly,” said district office spokeswoman Christine Siegert at noon. In a video conference, all those involved have already discussed how the accommodation of refugees should work; It is now also clear that the district must offer 70 places, a share of 0.05 percent of the district population. These can also be maintained because there is currently still free capacity in the refugee accommodation, says Siegert. But private individuals are still offering housing for the Ukraine refugees, and there have been around 90 offers so far.
The mayors are also involved in the preparations. Grafing town hall chief Christian Bauer has also been asked on social networks to campaign for vacant apartments on Schlossstraße, which the city may have already discussed, to be used temporarily in this way. He would also like to do this, says Bauer when asked, even if the decision is ultimately not up to him.
Efforts are also being made in Ebersberg to create living space in the short term, but the only vacant city apartment is not yet ready for occupancy, says Mayor Ulrich Proske (independent). Above all, you need furniture, but it should be found in the coming days.
There will be a chain of lights next week
There should also be non-material support: a “light chain of peace” for children and young people is planned in the district capital, which is to take place in the city center on Friday, March 11, from 6 p.m. These were initiated by Diana Kühnlein, religion teacher at the middle school, and Stefanie Scharfenberg, religion teacher at the secondary school. The city of Ebersberg will also take part, says the mayor, as well as the Bündnis Buntstatt Braun, the grammar schools in Grafing and Kirchseeon, the Catholic youth center, the district youth council, Kolping and the child protection association.
Alla Budnichenko and Mayor Ulrich Proske promote the “Light Chain of Peace” planned for March 11 in downtown Ebersberg.
(Photo: Peter Hinz-Rosin)
Incidentally, when designing the invitation, the Ukrainian national colors were deliberately placed next to the Russian national colors, according to Proske. Because his concern is “that the Russian and Ukrainian people who live here do not become enemies.” Alla Budnichenko, who was born in Ukraine and has lived with her family in Ebersberg for seven years, says that this risk is definitely there – currently with the families of her sister and cousin, who recently managed to flee the war zone. She also has contact with people of Russian origin in Ebersberg, says Budnichenko, and notes that the propaganda from the Kremlin is apparently having an effect on some of them. It is therefore not a bad idea that the Russian state broadcasters want to be switched on in Europe in the near future.