40 oak and ten carob trees were planted in Vranas, Marathon by the WLM group and their partners {Photos and video}
On Sunday, April 7th, one more environmental action was implemented by We Love Marathon group. It was based on the idea of Pericles Vyltaniotis, one of its volunteers from the Marathon Paths. The voluntary group started the planting of the trees at ten in the morning and finished it at three in the afternoon.
More specifically, 30 2-meter-high oak trees as well as 10 oak and 10 carob saplings were planted in the cloister garth in places which had been burnt by previous fires. The turnout was impressive as more than 50 people came to help. The volunteers dag holes, carried the trees to the planting point, added compost to the soil to facilitate the trees’ growth and created the appropriate cavities for the irrigation water.
All the work was implemented under the guidance of the agriculturists, WLM volunteer Kassandra Kousouli and Ioannis Gryllis, a collaborator, as well as the WLM Actions Coordinator and volunteer Ellie Kousouli. Sonia Gerodimou who runs We Love Marathon (AMKE We Love People) was in charge of the action.
Everything went smoothly, the energy was wonderful and the prevalent element was the team spirit. The families who chose to bring along their children were a pleasant surprise. They offered substantial and very productive work under the guise of a game in nature thus creating conscientious future citizens!
The vigorous presence of the Marathon youth who chose to socialize in nature and take action contributing significantly to the beauty of our area was moving.
People of all ages who had never met before worked with team spirit, without complaints but rather with alacrity for a better, ‘greener’ scenery. The volunteer Kimonas Kousoulis was in charge of the volunteers aided by his worthy collaborators and volunteers/ group leaders Panagiotis Tsahtsiris and Dimitris Karametas.
SEDM volunteer firefighters helped dynamically with 2 vehicles for the transportation of tools and plants as well as with the watering of the trees after the completion of the action.
This important environmental action would not have been feasible without the invaluable support of our sponsors: Filoterra provided us with the oak trees, Zackret provided the clothes for the We Love Marathon group and commemorative caps to all participants, the wholesale nursery Ponirakis gave us the carob trees, Coffee House prepared snacks for the participants, Arkoudi offered lunch to We Love Marathon volunteers, Peppas paint shop provided gardening gloves for the participants and Gryllis Water Lillies with the agriculturist Ioannis Gryllis devoted time to the preparation of the action and provided the compost for the planting of the trees. Mylonas Farm offered us significant gardening equipment.
SEDM volunteer firefighters from Marathon and PYSETH form Neos Voutzas will attend to the watering of the trees during the summer.
An agriculturalist from our area who wishes to remain anonymous offered 10 oak saplings which were planted during the action. He will also regularly visit the area to check the growth of the trees.
In winter WLM will make an effort to find a sponsor for water pipes which will be connected with the water supply in the monastery.
The abbess of St George’s Convent in Vranas, Marathon trusted the We Love Marathon group and opened the monastery courtyard thus facilitating the whole process to the maximum degree.
All the participants feel that we have done our part and that we have done our best. By setting a good example, we have faith that more people will follow us by looking after not only their garden but the surrounding area as well.
At the same time we call everybody for the removal of all flammable materials from their house and their disposal in the recycling bins located in various parts of our municipality, not in the neighboring plot.
Watch beautiful snapshots from the day of the action in the above video| credits Irineos Ioannidis
Translator: Konstantina Pollali
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