From Kerkrade, a convoy with relief supplies has arrived at the Polish-Ukrainian border. According to initiator Natasia Boom from Kerkrade, this concerns food, clothing, sleeping bags, medicines and medical equipment.
That will be collected on Thursday by people from Ukraine and transferred across the border.
Situation dramatic
Boom is on his way to Chelm, a town in eastern Poland, on Thursday morning. There is a reception center with an emergency shelter for the night of refugees crossing the border. “The situation is dramatic,” says Boom. “Some people have lost everyone. There is little food, people need generators to power electric heaters, blankets and sleeping bags.”
gone fast
On Saturday, Boom started a fundraising campaign in Kerkrade. “It went really fast after that,” she says. “We received help from veterans in Brunssum and Landgraaf. In the night from Tuesday to Wednesday we left with a convoy of trucks and vans full of goods for the Ukraine. Later today we will pick up ten refugees, with whom we will drive to Kerkrade.”
Also read: Kerkrade helps Ukraine: ‘No question, you have to do something’
Reception set up
These refugees are expected Friday morning in a center for veterans in Kerkrade, from where they can continue to host families, who receive them. “We have collected a lot of clothing, but there is much more here,” says veteran Piet Heuts. He works together with Natasia Boom, both know each other from the army. “We have set up a shelter in Kerkrade with ten beds. They cook there for them, and they can recover.”
The action from Kerkrade is one of many throughout the country by, among others, companies, churches, private individuals, police unions and Polish Dutch. Collection takes place in Maastricht, Heerlen, Utrecht, Oisterwijk and Schaijk.