"Thank you, Bocholt!"

An official delegation from the Ukrainian region around Ternopil now handed over a letter of thanks to the people of Bocholt for their help and willingness to donate. As is well known, the Eastern European country has been in a state of war for almost a year following the Russian attack. Bocholt's first city councillor Thomas Waschki accepted the letter of thanks on behalf of the sick mayor Thomas Kerkhoff.

In April last year, the "Helping Hands" initiative of the parish of St. Joseph appealed for donations to help the war-torn people. The appeal met with a great response. Two transports with relief goods were sent to Ukraine.

And it went on: Yesterday, another packed truck left Bocholt for Ternopil, with 800 boxes of blankets, winter clothes, 50 walkers, 108,000 surgical masks, 14 generators, food, medicine and even a hospital bed on board. "I would never have believed that it would work so well," said Leo Engenhorst, coordinator of the initiative, visibly moved. "The willingness of the people of Bocholt to donate is great."

The city of Ternopil agrees and sent its head of department Ruslan Kulyk together with a small delegation to Germany to personally thank the people of Bocholt. Symbolically, Kulyk handed over a letter of thanks to Bocholt's first councillor Thomas Waschki - "for the humanitarian, voluntary, monetary and personal help and support of the people of Bocholt."

"Bocholt feels with the people in Ukraine every day when the terrible images from the war zone reach us," replied Councillor Waschki. "If we can do good in difficult times and help a little, then we are happy." Above all, he passed on his thanks to the many private initiatives in Bocholt.

Especially for the groups "We like to help" and "Helping Hands", Stefanie Niehaus and Leo Engenhorst accepted thank-you letters. "Even though the occasion is a sad one, one may also see the positive: We have met wonderful people, close friendships and valuable connections have developed," said Niehaus.

Ukraine is already thinking about reconstruction

The Ternopil district is located in the west of Ukraine, between Lembeck and the capital Kiev. The region is home to 225,000 people. Currently, an additional 80,000 war refugees are seeking shelter there, reported Kulyk. His compatriots are sure that Ukraine will win the war against Russia. Even today, Ukraine is thinking about rebuilding the country. He suggested that the country could use the experience of German cities like Bocholt, for example in the form of partnerships.