Once again, 25 children from Gomel (Chernobyl) visited us. The senior citizens' advisory council and the mining association organised this day and were supported by many Rüdersdorf residents. Once again, many socks, scarves and hats were knitted.
Donations were collected at the senior citizens' events. Thanks to the generosity of the people of Rüdersdorf, this day could be financed and on the open day in Hirschluch on 2 August, the children from Chernobyl were presented with a further €250 to help organise their holiday. Special thanks go to the members of the mining association: Steffen Zwickirsch, Arno Düring, Sigrit Göricke, Horst Wendtland, Walter and Marianne Pilgermann. They made the Heinitz tunnel available to us and explained limestone mining to us. Arno Düring presented each child with a stone filled with minerals.
The children were looked after in the Heinitz Tunnel by helpers from the Volkssolidarität and the Rheumaliga: Willi and Hedda Rütz, Christel Schmidt, Helga Just, Jutta Schombel, Vera Steiner, Antje Kircheis, Monika Ellmrich and the chairwoman of the Rheumaliga. Special thanks go to Hilde Seidel for her accurate translation into Russian and German.
It was an eventful day for the children with a visit to the petting zoo, free time in the playground and, as a special highlight, a jeep ride through the open-cast mine. The children returned richly laden with stones.
After the jeep ride, it was time to hand out presents. All the knitted items from the Rüdersdorf senior citizens found their owners, and the other gifts from the Rheumaliga and other Rüdersdorf residents were also happily received. At the end of the day, the mayor André Schaller came by with small gifts for the children and their carers. The heat did not dampen the joy on this day, it was cool in the Heinitz Tunnel.
There was plenty of food and drink, lunch in the Heinitz Tunnel was provided by the Asian restaurant Chau, and there was nothing left of the chips and Chinese stir-fry.
The buses for the day were provided by Autohaus Erkner, Lutz Bühnert from Altlandsberg, Dieter Jahnke from Rüdersdorf and Pflegebrücke Rüdersdorf.
We would like to thank everyone involved in this event and the children from the Hirschluch holiday camp.
Antje Kircheis
Chairwoman of the Seniors' Advisory Council