Posted online: Feb 25th, 2010

DONEGAL volunteers for The Belarussian Orphanage Programme have appealed for local people to help them with an ambitious new project and they will be holding an information evening in the Ramada Hotel, Letterkenny, on March 1st.
Donegal volunteers, Gareth Patton from Convoy and Ben Campbell from Ballybofey, have been traveling to work with differently-abled adults and children in Minsk for a number of years but they are looking to tackle an even more ambitious project this year. They are spearheading a campaign to build a playground and activity hall at Novinki Children’s Orphanage and are looking for Donegal volunteers to help with building work and to work directly with the children.
“They have such severe weather that the kids can only get out for five months of the year,” explained Ben.
“We have secured all the materials in Russia so it will last 10 years. We’re looking for volunteer tradesmen to go out and give us a hand and for people to go out to play with the kids.”
“In addition to the playground, there is also a soccer pitch and an activity hall. That means that they will have this hall during the months when they cannot go outside. Normally we do the jobs ourselves but this is such a big job that we’re looking for people to help us. It’s all voluntary. Every penny that is raised goes directly to the kids.”
Anyone interested in helping, whether by traveling to Belarus or by assisting with fundraising, is welcome to attend the information seminar in the Ramada at 8pm on Monday.
For further information, contact Gareth on 087 6872707 or Ben on 087 7400010, or see www.bop.ie