We have written many times in our pages about the exceptional “Save the Grave of Your Great-Grandfather from Oblivion” campaign. In July this year, a group of volunteers from ZSOiZ and Aleksandra Siembida from II Liceum Ogólnokształcące in Bolesławiec travelled to Ukraine to clean up a cemetery in Sieniawa near Zbarazh. The students from Bolesławiec once again rescued Polish cemeteries in the eastern borderlands.
The campaign is still continuing. Students from II LO held a collection at the municipal cemetery to raise funds for the renovation of graves in the eastern borderlands. “The young people became very involved in this undertaking, and people proved very generous. The money boxes were very heavy,” says Małgorzata Matyjaszczuk, a Polish-language teacher and the campaign coordinator on behalf of II Liceum Ogólnokształcące. “But that does not mean we collected only coins; many banknotes were also donated. In two days, we collected more than PLN 1,000.”
Moreover, the high school students collected more than 140 grave candles, which have already been handed over to Barbara Smoleńska, the undertaking’s coordinator on behalf of Zespół Szkół Ogólnokształcących i Zawodowych. A collection of food, school supplies, toys and books will also be held. It is also worth noting that the young people from the “Two” want to officially take care of the Bolesławiec cemetery.
“I would like to praise our students for their patriotic attitude; not everyone would be able to sacrifice a day off from school for such a purpose,” emphasizes Małgorzata Matyjaszczuk.
“During the collection, we met many people. Siberian deportees came up to us, as did people whose relatives had been buried in the eastern borderlands. We certainly expanded our historical knowledge,” says Jadwiga Raczko from class II e. “I am interested in history; I believe it is very important for both young people and the older generation. And we will be the guardians of history when older people are no longer here,” adds Justyna Daniłko. “I love both history and the idea of volunteering. As soon as I learned about this undertaking, which combines both, I decided that I had to take part,” adds Marek Roszkowski from class I c.
Among those collecting donations were two scouts from the Bolesławiec ZHP troop. “In this way, we also promoted scouting,” admits Beniamin Marek. “It is an important campaign. These people once did a great deal for us; now we have an opportunity to repay them,” adds Krzysztof Wojda.
“Thank you for your involvement in this campaign; I am truly proud of you,” Mirosław Sakowski, the principal of II LO, told the students. “I hope this is only the first step that will allow you to become more involved in this undertaking. And this is not only about graves in the eastern borderlands. We also need to help the young people there who have Polish roots and want to learn our language. They lack everything, starting with books and notebooks.”
The principal presented letters of commendation to those involved in the campaign.
(information: ii)