Dick van Mersbergen from Genderen could no longer bear to see the misery in Ukraine. He wanted to do something. Now Dick is on his way to the Ukrainian border with three friends and two SUVs. They leave the all-terrain vehicles there for the Ukrainian army.
It’s a long, tiring journey. Yet Dick is on his way full of enthusiasm. While driving, he says on the phone: “We have been told that the Ukrainian army can use these towbar SUVs very well. To pick up wounded soldiers in rough terrain and take them to an emergency hospital. And to provide food for bring the soldiers around. So we left as soon as possible.”
Dick was actually on the road with his fellow villagers Peer Vos, Bert Bergyk and Wilco van Ee with three SUVs. But one all-terrain vehicle broke down near the German border. Dick explains: “Probably there is dirt in the gas tank. That’s why the car kept stopping. It is now being made and then returned as soon as possible.”
Thursday at six o’clock in the morning Dick started the journey. In total they have to travel about 1,700 kilometers before they reach the Polish-Ukrainian border. They hope to reach them on Friday evening. “We’re dead tired, but it’s all worth it.”
The SUVs, donated by Harm Jan van der Beek and Wim Zijderveld, do not arrive empty. It contains medicines and bandages. Dick realizes that he will see violent scenes at the border. “I’m sure there are a lot of helpless people and children out there. That will make an impression, but I’ll adjust to that.”
When the off-road vehicles have been handed over to the army, Dick and his friends drive back to Brabant in a car. There the next adventure awaits, because Dick and his wife have opened their house to Ukrainian refugees. The first will probably arrive this weekend. “We are happy that we can do something to help the Ukrainian people.”
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