THEY had hoped to get enough supplies to fill one truck but thanks to the huge outpouring of support for the people of Ukraine from Limerick, the second of two articulated trucks left carrying supplies this week.
Mayor Daniel Butler moved to get the local authority, Limerick Twenty Thirty and the University of Limerick on board after a heartfelt appeal from a Polish woman living in the city.
The ‘Help for Ukraine’ programme was initiated after Anna Mazeika, who has been living in Limerick for 17 years and is a representative of NGO ‘Pokolenie,’ contacted the Mayor asking for his support for her campaign to send medical supplies from Limerick to hospitals in Ukraine.
The former Cleeves factory was made available as a site where people could drop off donated supplies.
“There was an incredible response. I went down there on Friday, the last night for collecting donations and it was hectic with about 40 volunteers packing up supplies ready for the truck to go,” Mayor Butler told the Limerick Post.
He said pharmacies and medical supply companies all over the city and county donated supplies or gave a huge discount “but it was the donations from the ordinary citizens that made the appeal such a success,” he said.
A first articulated truck, packed with medical supplies from floor to ceiling, left the city on Friday last, followed by another truck, filled with other necessary donated items.
“Huge credit goes to Anna and the other three Polish ladies who started the ball rolling on this,” the Mayor said.
Anna flew to Poland to meet the Limerick truck as it was handed over and then driven into the Ukraine by Michal, a Ukrainian driver, one of the very few willing to risk driving back into the country where medical supplies are urgently needed.
