St. Nicholas Residence in the NGO Community Development

     This year, the NGO Community Development turned into a residence of St. Nicholas. Our activists helped him to greet almost seven hundred of children of Lviv region with gifts, they needed most. It took more than a month of preparation and hard daily work. Firstly, our activists visited each child and helped them to write letters of desired gifts and necessary things. Then, thanks to the indifferent people, we received dozens of various gifts, which were included in children letters, in our office. As a result, each room and corridor was overfilled with children's toys, sweets, clothes and other valuable gifts. However, the main our task was not to collect a huge number of presents, we wanted to give children the warmth and understanding the fact that the holidays will necessarily come to everyone who was polite and diligent during the year!

     At the beginning of December, activists  greeted pupils of the St. Nicholas Rehabilitation center. Activists of the Briukhovychi branch of the NGO Community Development brought children to the residence of St. Nicholas, which was opened on the first of December in Kavalier Boutique Hotel. In addition, despite the interesting excursion of the saint's house and delicious meals, kids also received valuable gifts from St. Nicholas and his assistant - the elf. Everyone had a chance to have a small conversation with St. Nicholas and get some useful tips. At the end of the event, kids were entertained with the theatrical performance by the prince and the princess.

     On the 4th of December, members of the NGO Community Development together with the employees of Kavalier Boutique Hotel visited Oberih Rehabilitation Center and handed presents to little pupils. Almost one hundred of presents were handed to children with special needs, as a result they were overwhelmed with positive and festive mood!
Also, according to the St. Nicholas day, as a part of the social project Master for an Hour, poor pensioners with disabilities received an annual subscription to the newspaper Ratusha. All these elderly people used in 2017 the professional master's assistance in minor domestic repairings for free.

     On the 11th of December, St. Nicholas together with activists of the NGO Community Development and employees of Kavalier Boutique Hotel attended the Corners of Goodness in the Briukhovychi Hospital and Children Hospital on Pylyp Orlyk street, in order to hand gifts to children and wish them a quick recovery!

     On the 12th of December, St. Nicholas visited children from poor families in Briukhovychi. Activists of the NGO Community Development handed to each child valuable gifts and greeted them with  upcoming holidays. Moreover, in Buon Gusto restaurant, kids attended master class in pizza and eclair making.

     On the 13th of December, St. Nicholas and his assistants set off on tour across Lviv region. They visited the St. Nicholas Rehabilitation center in Briukhovychi. For pupils of the institution, our activists prepared a huge show program. Firstly, kids were entertained with a festive performance, during which, children together with angels decorated the Christmas tree. And at the end of the evening, St. Nicholas handed gifts that were ordered in letters, to every child.

     In addition, on this day we managed to make 100 kg of dumplings which were later sent to the frontline to our defenders. For more than 8 hours activists of the NGO Community Development, NGO Lviv Regional Association of ATO and Families of Deceased Soldiers, indifferent people and teachers filled 20 five-kilogram buckets with dumplings. Also, we managed to gather a lot of pickles, sausages and fat.

     On Sunday, December 17, we visited Lviv orphanage No. 1 on Tadzhytska street to bring gifts for children that were previously ordered in children letters. The main feature of the evening became a festive performance of the "VlaTar" duo of animators.

     On the 18th of December, St. Nicholas together with activists of the NGO Community Development handed presents to the children from the Lviv Orphanage №1, where live infants from the age from 0 to 3 years. Babies received different toys, sweets, clothes, household chemistry and diapers.

     On the next day, St. Nicholas and his assistants continued a trip over Lviv region. This time activists of the NGO Community Development prepared valuable gifts and a lot of positive mood for all pupils of the Rozdil and Skole boarding-schools, children from poor Stryi families.

     On the 21th of December, St. NIcholas visited the Lviv boarding school №2.

     Our members, together with the Community Development Charity Fund prepared for St. Nicholas gifts that were addressed personally to each child.

     Also on this day St. Nicholas didn't forget to greet children from Lviv poor families. In the Roksolana shopping center, He and his assistants greeted children with various gifts, as well as with delicacies from the mall.
               
     Next day, children of deceased ATO soldiers received their presents. For each child we prepared a special gift: sweets and Vasyl Shkliar’s books Troshcha which were also signed by the veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war together with the NGO Ukrainian Association of the ATO Participants. With the assistance of the Community Development Charity Fund together with the Stryi and Dnister market, they joined us by organizing a fund raising campaign which was aimed to buy presents for children.

     In addition, all this time, we have been receiving many letters to St. Nicholas from different parts of Lviv region. Therefore, we sent 10 gifts to children from poor families in Staryi Sambir.       
                 
     However, this wasn't the end of holidays and miracles, because activists of the NGO Community Development will continue to care about everyone who needs help, support and advice.
We express our gratitude to everyone who joined the gift collection and organization of children's holidays. All in all, we have managed to create a small miracle for children and we hope that it will stay in their hearts for a long time!