News Appeal raises £1,000 for fire victims
Maria Jessney of The Old George public house in Goole, who appealed in last week's Goole Times for donations for victims of the Greek fires, has received money from kind locals totalling almost £1,000.
Maria travelled to Greece on Saturday to visit her father's family, who are from the village of Artemida, one of the worst-hit places in Greece.
She made the urgent plea for donations after news that large amounts of Greece had been destroyed by raging fires. More than 60 people died and, tragically, the fire resulted in four members of her family being killed. Many others in Artemida also perished.
Maria's daughter, Sally Halliday, spoke to her mum this week, who told her that many people were simply walking round in a state of shock.
Sally said: "They buried seven people the day my mum arrived. It was a private affair, with no press allowed. She has seen lorries arriving with beds and blankets." She added: "The response from Goole has been fantastic. People are just coming into the pub or knocking on the kitchen door saying that they have read the story in the paper and offering donations. They are being so kind."
Maria's father and Sally's grandfather, Costa Georgulias, who raised £200 in Hull, said: "I was born in Artemida in 1937. It was a very nice place, with lots of greenery and it was the first village to be burnt down in these terrible fires.
"The country has been given money to buy new houses, but it can't replace the things inside the house. People over there live from the land, from products of the garden, milk from the cows. They have their own oil, own wheat and their own ovens. It's all been burnt down. All the trees are gone.
"There are a lot of TV people there but they ask a lot of questions then they leave. They need to look after them, rather than just say sorry. They need to give them support."
Costa's niece and her two grandchildren perished in the flames after they left their home to escape. The mother who was found dead in her car with her four children - widely reported in newspapers and on TV - was his friend's daughter.
As people in Greece begin to rebuild their lives, Maria's grandson, Thomas Halliday, is doing his own bit to help out by holding two table-top sales this weekend, with all money raised going to the people of Artemida.
The first sale will be at The Old George from 11am on Saturday. He will be selling all his old toys and there will also be a cake stall. There will be another sale outside Hook shop from 11.30am on Sunday.
* Readers can still make donations though The Old George or the Goole Times offices, which will be sent straight to the people of Artemida.
Published on 6th September 2007 in News.
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