Child sponsorship update from Vari, Greece

Update for child sponsors from the SOS Children's Village Vari, Greece from June 2008.

Dear friends,

It’s summertime! For once more we would like to inform you about Village’s activities and children themselves.

JANUARY
• For the New Year’s Day, fifteen children of our Village, along with pedagogues and our Director, visited Santa Claus at his hometown, Finland-Rovaniemi. It was a unique experience they will remember for the rest of their lives.
• On the 4th of January our children participated in an event of the Municipality of Peristeri, where they had very interesting activities.
• On the 20th was the time for our New Year’s Pie cutting together with the Lions. A very cheerful and celebrative day with plenty of snacks and food gave us all a good start for the year.

FEBRUARY
• On the 2nd of February our Workshop in English language, arranged a visit to the Planetarium. It was an educative and interesting experience for the children who learnt so many things about the planet system while watching the film documentary on a special 360o-3D screen (more like a sky above their heads!).
• On the 17th in our Village, a puppet theatre team came and played for our children “Nick and the Wolf”. The children watched the show and then they played a theatrical game.
• On the 17th at the indoors gym of OAKA, ten of our children watched a basketball game, between two A1 league teams, “AEK” and “ARIS”.
• On the 24th, pharmaceutical company “Klava” invited our Village to their costume party that took place at the Jouckey’s Country Club, at the Tatoi, area of Athens. Two of our families went there and spent the evening partying!
• On the 24th a club of children with cancer called “ELPIDA” and the “Institute for the child and the family” threw a costume party at Politia Tennis Club, at Kifissia, area of Athens. Another group of children went there and had a wonderful day.

MARCH
• On the 2nd the University of Pireaus, invited our children to a costume party and two SOS families went there.
• On the 3rd our older children of the Village went to the “Athens Centre” where they had been invited and enjoyed the live music of the famous singer John Ploutarchos.
• On the 7th we had our costume party in our Village. Friends and classmates of our children dressed up in beautiful uniforms, danced, played and laughed to tears!
• On the 23rd, at the exhibition area of Metro, Syntagma station (Athens), four families visited the “House of Healthy Diet” and were briefed about the healthy diet model.

Events in the year at Vari, Greece

APRIL
• At the beginning of the month in the exhibition area of Metro, Syntagma Station (Athens), we organized our Easter Bazaar. We had great attendance for one more time.
• On the 6th, ten of our children went to a basketball match between two A1 league teams, “AEK” and “PANIONIOS” and they loved it
• On the 13th a motorbiker’s forum team called “BikerSpirit” visited our Village. Following a short briefing about the world of motorbikes, safety and proper driving behaviour, our children climbed on the motorbikes and had an exciting moment by just sitting on the saddle.
• On the 22nd, “Numil-Nutricia” the company, visited two families of our Village. They gave many nice Easter gifts.
• On Great Wednesday on the 23rd, our older children had a daily excursion at the forest of “Moni Kessarianis” and the athletic facilities there. At this excursion our children invited one classmate of their school and accompanied by our educators. They all had a great day full of playing.
• On the 24th “Starbucks” visited our Village and the house of SOS Mother Konstantina.
• Carrefour branch of supermarkets visited our Village and gave each house vouchers so they can do their Easter shopping (food supplies, etc.).
• 27th of April. It’s Easter Holidays. Cakes, cookies, red painted eggs and roast lamp were some of the things that all the families had prepared for their houses.
• On the 30th all the children of the Village went to a fun park, where they spent the whole morning playing.

ΜAY
• On the 2nd of the month was the feast of “Mary the source of life” the patroness of the Church of our Village. Like the other years liturgy took place in the morning and later with the co-operation of the Sarakatsani Society of St. Peter and the Municipality, we held a big celebration.
• On the 10th of May one day before “Mother’s Day”, our Director and all the mothers went to a beautiful restaurant where they had lunch and spent a nice evening together.
• On the 11th it’s Mother’s Day! SOS Mother Sevi had an interview at the “Prevention” magazine, while SOS Mother Olga spoke for the role of being mother at a tv show. SOS Mothers Evangellia and Konstantina spoke at a radio station about Mother’s Day.
• On the 17th our Village was informed by the “Clean Greece” programme about how each one of us can help keep Greece clean as a country. Our children were also informed about environmental issues and environmental programs in Greece.
• On the 24th thirty of our kids went to the island of Spetses for a daily excursion.

Growing up at Vari, Greece

JUNE
• This month comes with a very special event. It’s the christening of our little Sofia, on Sunday 1st of June, at our Village’s small church.
• On the 8th we had our final day of the year for our Workshops sponsored by Vodafone. Theatre, music, singing and painting were the events of the day that our children had been preparing through the year.
• On the 11th a large group of Friends visitors, came to our Village and they were informed about the way our Village operates.
• Between the 23rd and 28th a team of Italian tile makers, visited our Village and taught two groups of our children the secrets of clay. Our children learnt how to handle clay and how to make items from clay. It was a really nice and useful experience!
• Between the 23rd and 26th a special offer of some friends of the Village, took thirty of our children to the scenic Chalkidiki. They spent four lovely days, enjoying the sun and the sea.

In July our older children will start getting ready for the summer camps. Our younger children will enjoy the seaside and the sun with their SOS Mothers.

The rest of us here at the Village, do our best to ensure our children’s safety and happiness. It is as important to see the smile on their faces, as it is to see they grow up with morals and discipline. Our volunteers also put a great effort into our duty and their contribution is truly priceless.

The gratitude we owe you, all sponsors of SOS, is immense and we would like you to know that you are an inseparable link to the chain called “SOS Children’s Village Vari”. Our children are taking all your love and interest in them and the results is mutual strong feelings throughout time.

Until our next letter, we wish you all have a very happy summer!!!

Best regards,

Peter Papadakis
Director