URGENT APPEAL

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 82, 16 June 1944, Page 4

URGENT APPEAL

POLISH RED CROSS LOCAL EFFORT THIS WEEK The New Zealand Red Cross Society is sponsoring the Polish Red Cross Appeal during the week 12th to 17th June. All proceeds from the Red Cross shop will be donated to this most worthy cause during this week, and it is hoped the residents of WhaTtatane will give it their usual generous support. . Of all the United Nations the Polish people have probably suffered most of the horrors of war. For nearly Ave years they have endured the most appalling hardships and many millions of them have died. There are about 48,000 orphans, with a few women among them, who have escaped this holocaust and are living for the duration of the war in Polish Relief Camps in India, Syria, Palestone and East Africa. They are all in a greatly impaired , state of health, nearly all of them having scurvy, from malnutrition, and the majority suffering from malaria and other diseases. When they arrived in Persia they were mere skeletons covered. with dirty rags. The Polish Red Cross lias to pro* vide for these conditions in Which, they can be regenerated in both body and soul, and to this gigantic task is added the care of over 180,000 Prisoners of. War in Germany. Those of us who are living in safety, and a life without the perpetual horror of fear, can surely spare some financial support for these unfortunates, and the people of Whakatane are asked to support this most needful cause to the best of their ability. On Friday (to-day) there will be a street collection in the interests of the above, and on Saturday (tomorrow) a copper trail will be run in the town.