Laois schools have come together to make a massive donation to a humanitarian convoy which set off for the Ukrainian border yesterday.
Mark Martley of Martley’s in Portlaoise asked schools, creches and businesses to give essential items that he would then transport to the border.
They are heading to Gdansk in Poland where one university is currently home to 500 refugees.
And Portlaoise was not found wanting as 100 pallets of items in three trucks is now on its way to those who need them.
The campus where Portlaoise CBS and Scoil Chriost Ri are was a hive of activity yesterday afternoon.
Students from both schools helped load all of the items onto the trucks.
Ms Eimear Lewens and Mr Cyrill Mulligan were the driving force behind operations in Portlaoise CBS
While Ms Ann Byrne and Ms Ann Dollard flew the flag for Scoil Chriost Ri with teachers Monica Delaney and Mary Lewis leading the charge in Scoil Bhride.
Last week, Mountrath Community School was overwhelmed by the generosity of its students, parents and staff in response to its appeal for donations in aid of the people of Ukraine.
Paddock National School joined forces with MCS and their combined efforts were collected on Wednesday by Hyland Transport, Rosenallis.
School Chaplain, Anne Moore, who organized the event in Mountrath Community School, was fulsome in her praise of everyone who contributed to the collection in both MCS and Paddock National Schools, as well as to Ber Fitzpatrick, Principal and her staff in Paddock for organising the collection there.
Anne said it was very much a team effort in Mountrath Community School, with Art teachers creating a display to heighten awareness, Pope John Paul II and other senior students assisting with advertising the collection and packing all items received, caretakers and cleaners supplying a copious amount of boxes and so many responding to the crisis.
Fair play to all involved!
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