ENNIS Lions Club has raised more than €50,000 through the “phenomenal” support of the people of Clare for an orphanage in Poland caring for displaced Ukrainian children.
The funds have been raised through a variety of endeavours including a bucket collection held throughout the county in the early weeks of the invasion.
Details of the local fundraising success were unveiled as Lions Clubs throughout Ireland look ahead to participation in the Lions Clubs International day in support of Ukraine Refugees and Displaced Persons on Saturday, June 11.
Terence Mangan of Ennis Lions explains they were moved to do something to help those fleeing the invasion of Ukraine once news of the conflict began to emerge, and they have been overwhelmed with the response from the public.
“We knew straight away that this was going to be a very serious situation because it is the first time in 80 years that we have had any kind of major war in Europe, and we recognised that there was going to be a huge refugee problem.
“Russia has managed to do in less than four months to Eastern Ukraine what it took four years for the might of the Allies to do to Germany in the 1940s.
“They have pulverised Eastern Ukraine, there is nothing left of Mariupol and half the towns and cities are wiped out. There is nothing left there for the people.”
Terence’s son Colin, who has been living in Lodz in Poland for over a decade is volunteering with an organisation helping orphaned children who have fled the fighting in Ukraine.
Lodz has been designated a host city for Ukrainian orphans as Polish authorities struggle to cope with the influx of refugees from Ukraine.
Colin has helped bring people to safety from the border, while his family have taken in a family from Ukraine.
Funding from the Lions Club has helped to support these orphaned children, with Terence explaining that while the government in Poland are doing what they can politically and militarily, when it comes to addressing the needs of refugees that is being left up to councils and ordinary people volunteering.
“The council provide accommodation and food, but in terms of education, stimulation, play, all the rest, that is totally dependent on the voluntary sector and that is where we have come in.”
He says that the response to the Ennis Lions Club fundraisers has been “absolutely phenomenal”.
“Almost immediately when the invasion started we had our flag day out on the streets with a bucket collection in Ennis, Kilrush, Sixmilebridge, Lahinch and Ennistymon and we have had a number of schools and sports organisations that have ran events as well including Éire Óg, Clarecastle GAA, Woodstock golf club, Scoil Chríost Rí in Cloughleigh, Toonagh National School and Ennis National School.”
Ennis National School have been running a major fundraising event since the end of May where they designed, painted and created eight mixed media murals which will be on display in the County Museum until June 11.
The children also put on a variety show in the plaza outside the museum on Wednesday of this week.
“People have been so generous, when we had our collection there were pensioners coming up and putting in €50 notes, kids were putting in their pocket money, it was just absolutely unbelievable how much support has been out there.”
Since the first days of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Lions in Ireland have provided cash, medicines, clothing, food and friendship, making new arrivals welcome in their communities.
The 100 Lions Clubs in Ireland have already contributed €150,000 to the Lions Clubs International Foundation which is providing aid in the Ukraine and neighbouring countries.
Donations to the Ennis National School appeal in conjunction with Ennis Lions can still be made at GoFundMe at the following link.