The 37th convoy started today
- sahilft
- Oct 11, 2024
- 4 min read
2 buses, 1 ambulance, 2 pickups, 2 quads, 1 four-wheel drive Vito, 1 Ford Focus station wagon are on the road loaded with relief supplies.
The driver team of the 37th convoy
This blog reports on the 37th convoy from the start to the return of the drivers. So keep checking back.
This time the vehicles are loaded with relief supplies:
Medical equipment = shower stools, walking aids, wheelchairs, rollators, infusion stands, medical supplies, syringes, orthopedic supplies, torniquets, medication, hygiene supplies, soap, shampoo, diapers, etc.
At the same time, the following items were taken: refrigerators, freezers, cool boxes, washing machines, dryers, hand tools, garden tools, workbenches, laptops, printers, gas cookers, bicycles, televisions, trench candles, dog food, towels and bedsheets for hospitals, emergency generators, baby food, tires, defibrillators, toys, shelves, beanbags, etc.
The list is by no means complete, but it shows what can be taken in 2 buses and various cars.
Some aid supplies go to Dmytrievka and the majority go to the Kharkiv area.
This is how the day started:
briefing
Preparations in the parking lot
Now the convoys will probably start their departures in the dark again.
Group photo before departure.
Departure, here we go.
...and so it went on
Thursday, October 3rd
Oh, there was still a vehicle missing when the convoy left.
The Ford Focus is now here too.
It was my first time there and I had a breakdown straight away, but it was repaired with duct tape. Lucky for me.
Many vehicles, many big and small breakdowns
On this bus, one of the windshield wipers stopped working.
Brief inventory
Only one bus is missing. That's still OK, given the number of vehicles.
The series of mishaps continues
Power for the pickup.
First handover
The trailer has been handed over and will be taken across the border from here.
Saturday, October 5th
A little jump start for the Mitsubishi pickup and then we continue to the border.
Arrival at the border
Finally familiar faces
Not only Rustam’s children are happy here.
Bears at the border. I thought they only existed in Romania.
It is midday and there are still 500 kilometers to Dmytrievka. We hope to be there by 8 p.m. There will be no driving tomorrow. There are a few meetings and discussions to be held.
Monday, October 7th
Susi and Hugo have finally reached their destination.
Hugo likes it.
Hugo has arrived at his new owner.
Help that arrives. 348 packages with medicine, bandages, towels
Hygiene products for the hospital in Kharkiv.
The urgently needed washing machines and dryers have arrived.
Bus 1 with medical equipment, aids, walkers, wheelchairs, etc. are unloaded with the help of hard-working Ukrainian helpers.
The rest of the 1st bus is for the 225th.
Tools, bandages, our self-made trench candles and lots of food, including animal feed, of course.
In no time at all, the second bus is also empty.
These items will then be delivered in the next few days.
... and the unloading continues.
Tuesday, October 8th
Lotte lives…
Lotte is even used as a fire engine.
...and some old acquaintances too.
We saw the Unimog and the pickup from one of the last convoys again.
The bus also made it. It carries out evacuations and transports soldiers.
We have seen further donations again.
Handover of the ambulance.
The ambulance was prepared immediately and was deployed on the same day.
Our bandages have reached the soldiers
Vito was handed over
Thanks
And here as a film, for those who have Facebook:
Thursday, October 10th
handover of the buses
The freezer also arrived safely
visiting friends
German and Ukrainian fire engines drive to the scene together.
A fire engine for Dirk's vintage car collection?
awards.
Not exactly the latest fashion – but protective clothing is a must.
shirt swap?
Picture with former Consul General Iryna Shum. Today, Ms. Shum is responsible for culture in the Foreign Office.
The bureaucracy never takes a break. We (especially Peter and I) had to fill out over 80 (!) pages to get all the vehicles through customs. In Ukraine, there is a follow-up, where you also have the pleasure of having to create a few more documents and photos for each vehicle.
This is where the blog about the 37th convoy ends
Now that Didi and Frank have already returned home, the rest of the team is heading home today and will arrive on Saturday and Sunday.
We hope that the journey home will not be as difficult as it was for Didi and Frank: with delays, cancellations and overnight stays at the airport.
This blog shows very clearly how seriously we take it, with our slogan:
Help that arrives.
We have seen many of the donations we sent out in Ukraine, whether they were vehicles or smaller donations.
But the help would not arrive without the many donors and helpers who, after such a long time, still tirelessly support our "Ukraine work".
Thank you so much to EVERYONE.
And finally:
Nobody wants to be liberated like this – not even me.
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