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Community |
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Red Cross Coffee and Cake Morning: A Huge Success! |
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Many thanks to Bob and Eveleen Wright for hosting a fantastic coffee and cake fundraising event for the Greek Red Cross / Ελληνικος Ερυθρος Σταυρος. They report that more than 90 visitors came to Villa Estia, CIC members and friends raising 952 euros in less than three hours—a great achievement. Mr Xandoumakis, treasurer of the Rethymnon branch of the Red Cross gave a moving speech thanking everyone and explaining how valuable such donations are to local efforts. Contributions go towards Christmas and Easter care packages which are taken to families and individuals in serious need —despite the apparent affluence of this area, there are several who have slipped through the social care ‘net’. He then kindly handed out the raffle prizes. An explanation is needed here, as unexpectedly, there were two raffles. The first raffle with three prizes was planned, the prizes being kindly donated by Ann Clayton and Chryssafenias Nature House. |
Just before the first visitors arrived, Kostas, a local shepherd from Maroulas came in and offered up one of his sheep to the cause. Kostas is not always popular with the locals, as his flock has a voracious appetite and the sheep run down from the village faster than their legs can carry them . However, Bob and Eveleen have befriended him, as after all, he is the Cretan tradition, and it is not his fault that many people have now built upon what was common grazing land. Anna Capernaros was the lucky winner of what some of her friends have called “Larry the Lamb”, and has kindly given it/him/she to a local charity. We have promised no more sheep jokes as Anna has already been mercilessly ribbed (sorry, we just had to get that one in). Bob and Eveleen would like to thank all their kind friends for their help in providing cakes, chairs and tables, and catering services. Everyone enjoyed a lovely sociable occasion. |
Mediterranean Garden Society Meeting
Rock formations |
Bob Wright reports: On Sunday, 6th May, 25 members and guests came to the MGS meeting at Brian & Evelyn’s beautiful house and garden in Drapanos near Vamos, which has magnificent views of both Souda bay and the White mountains.. After lunch Jennifer Gay (gardening correspondent of The Athens News) gave an inspiring talk about the MGS dry hillside garden at Sparoza in Attica, close to Athens airport. It was fascinating to learn about the diverse number of beautiful plants that have been so carefully selected for this location, and have grown to become drought tolerant; a lesson to us all after a dryer than average winter. Brian and Jennifer then took us on a tour of his large garden, It is a beautiful site, with awe inspiring rocks but faces the stern winds from both Souda bay and the white mountains. He kindly shared with us his many triumphs, but also areas of struggle such as trying to grow bougainvillea. Brian has one which stubbornly refuses to live in a windswept site, yet close by, another plant thrives on a sheltered wall. Finally, we took turns to select plants laid out by members for the exchange. Novices and old hands all found new plants to take home with them. The next meeting is planned for the autumn, and we also hope to organize a visit of MGS members in early spring to the society’s garden at Sparoza. Our very special thanks to Jennifer & her partner Piers for finding time for us in their very busy lives, and to hosts Brian, Valerie, Evelyn and Clive for such a superbly organized meeting.
Breast Cancer Support Group
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Singing for Fun!Chris would also be interested to hear from anyone who would be interested in joining a singing group — to sing oldies, gospel tunes and/or songs from musicals, just for fun. And is there a piano player out there who would like to act as accompanist? We know that there is a choral group in Agios Nikolaos, but this is a bit far for those of us who live on the Western side of the island to travel. |
Chris Parnassus, who is herself a breast cancer survivor, would be interested to hear from anyone interested in
joining a breast cancer support / awareness group. She was member of a group in Athens and found it to be very
helpful. You can contact Chris via email at cparnassus@hotmail.com or phone 6977559644Cretan International Community Summer Meetings
The Rethymnon branch of the Cretan International Community meets on the first Thursday of every month at SVEA
’s Konditori, Kapetan Lemonia 3, Rethymnon from 11 a.m. The local coordinator for the Rethymnon branch of the
CIC is Anna Capernaros. Please contact her for details of upcoming CIC events and for any membership queries
that you may have. Anna may be reached on 28310 57305. Further information about the CIC organization itself
may be found on the www.thecic.eu website. Throughout the summer there will be additional ‘chat and swim’
meetings at Camping Elizabeth on the third Thursday of every month. from 2 p.m. onwards, general assembly point
campsite taverna—which is a good place to have lunch. Camping Elizabeth is on the beach at Missiria, a few
kilometres east of Rethymnon (just past Perivolia on the Old Road). The beach is ‘wild’ (!) so you might want
to bring your own beach mats / umbrellas.
JUNE ONLY: This month’s Camping Elizabeth meeting is being replaced by the Summer Solstice Barbecue, which starts at 7pm.
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