Tyrone to Gaza

[give her dixie]

Folks, like so many people here in Ireland, and all across the world, the scenes from Gaza over the past month have been horrible.
I have decided to do something about it, and I am planning to join George Galloway on his "Lifeline for Gaza aid convoy", which will be leaving London on Saturday February 14th.
I have only decided to make the journey today, so the planning has just begun. I will need as much help and support as possible to make this come together in 2 weeks.
First off, I need a large van, which will be left in Gaza, so if anyone is in the "van sales trade", or knows of a van that can be bought dirt cheap, let me know. I will be contacting a few dealers around home as well.
What is mostly needed, are blankets, and clothes for children.  
As this is day 1 of the planning, please feel free to suggest ways and means of support. The total cost of the trip will be £3,000, which will cover ferries, fuel, and other expenses.
I have ideas whereby people can purchase a blanket, which I have sourced for bulk purchase, for a price of say £10. That way, if I sell 300 blankets, the cost is covered.
Also, I plan to have people write a message of support on the van for the people of Gaza for say £5.
I will try and keep the fundraising as simple as possible, and maybe visit a number of towns locally on certain days at certain times to give people the chance to support the trip.
Again, please feel free to come up with any idea's of support.


Here is the letter from George Galloway, and the link to "Viva Palestina" who are organising the trip.   

http://www.vivapalestina.org

Lifeline for Gaza aid convoy leaving on Saturday 14 February 2009

Send a Valentine to Palestine

A message from George Galloway

More than 1,300 dead – more than 400 of them children – and still they are dragging bodies from the ruins.

The death toll in Gaza is rising, while the world's leaders and media look away in search of a new story.

We will not look away. The Palestinians in Gaza need our help now, just as they did when Israel's bombs and illegal weapons were dropping.

Thousands of people have contacted me to say that they have marched, cried at the television pictures and feel helpless in the face of the suffering.

That's why I have launched a major initiative in response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. I will be leading an aid convoy from London to Gaza leaving on 14 February and travelling through France, Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and through Rafah and into Gaza. It will bring material aid and raise the banner of Palestine in all the countries that we visit.

The convoy will be led by a British fire engine, ambulances, and many trucks full of practical aid given by the various communities in Britain.

It is quite an undertaking, which I anticipate will have a high public profile throughout its journey and on its arrival in Gaza, god willing, some 30 days later.

The convoy is already supported by the Stop the War Coalition – which organised the largest demonstrations in British history – as well as the Anglo-Arab Organisation, several British trade unions and a large number of Muslim organisations. Fundraising for the convoy is taking place all over Britain.

We urgently need your help

1) Secure a vehicle, fill it with aid and get sponsorship to cover its costs to Gaza (approximately £3,000 for fuel and expenses). Many people are donating vehicles to leave there.

2) Money: please organise fundraisers, collections, donations which the convoy will get directly to the people of Gaza.

Cheques should be made payable to "Lifeline for Gaza" and sent to

Lifeline for Gaza c/o Flat 6, 1-2 Bowling Green Place, London SE1 1YL. (Account numbers and bank details to follow.) For more details email sally@vivapalestina.org or phone her on 07545 181 079.

3) Collect new clothes for children and adults alike. Please email sally@vivapalestina.org or phone her on 07545 181 079.

[heganboy]

Go Israel

[Square Ball]

fair play to you, where abouts are you?

[ardal]

What would happen to donations when they were given direct to the people?
I thought Galloway was now a lame duck.
Can't help but think this sort of thing is pointless.
Why not start to assassinate members of your national government in whatever country you're from until they are forced to do something more than brown nose Israel

[mylestheslasher]

What would happen to donations when they were given direct to the people?
I thought Galloway was now a lame duck.
Can't help but think this sort of thing is pointless.
Why not start to assassinate members of your national government in whatever country you're from until they are forced to do something more than brown nose Israel

What sort of ridiculous post is this. You can't assassinate people because they are elected people and it is illegal to kill them. It is not pointless to give to people whos house has been blown to bits some blankets and belongings to keep their family well. Galloway a lame duck? WTF are you on about. Is your point that it is better to sit on your lazy hole at home and moan "what can we do??"

I say fair play to you "give her Dixie". I'll certainly give you some form of a donation however I can. Can you let me know how I can make a contribution to you by PM if you wish.

[ardal]

Assassination was tongue in cheek, maybe I should have made it clearer for the dim witted that we could all achieve more if we all harrassed our governments until they did something.

Donations was referred to in the Galloway post within the sentence titled "money", and which states it will go directly to the people in Gaza. To buy blankets from their local unbombed Dunnes store??

Is Gaza a war zone?
Is it clever to donate money to people in a war zone?
Is it not better to donate basic essentials bought with the money collected?

Was Galloway not up in front of some Westminister type tribunal or something a few years ago? Did it not destroy his political career? Something along the lines of "charity, donations, Iraq"? Lame duck?


So mylestheslasher , it was that sort of ridiculous post.

[give her dixie]

Folks, please please please do not turn this thread into a political rant on the rights and wrongs of the war in Gaza. There is a seperate thread running on this "Israel sends in the ground troops". So go to that thread to discuss the war.
I am planning on giving a month to this convoy, and to collect as many blankets and clothes before I go. I will personally do my very very best to make sure the people most in need recieve them.
As for monetary donations, as I have said it is expected to cost £3,000, so whatever is left over will go to local based charities to help those most in need.
I will post a many details as possible, when I get them, and keep everyone informed.
My name is John Hurson, and i'm from Dungannon.
So folks, please keep this thread free from any nonsense, and to the cause in point, "Gaza"

Thanks
John

[Double Cross]

If you manage to secure a van, I will donate £100 towards your fuel costs. We also keep a stock of "emergency presents" in the house, basically some toys or kids clothes in case we forget anyones birthdays, I`ll throw those in as well and anything else that I can think of.
Well dont for getting off your arse and doing something, too many of us like to talk plenty, but rarely do anything else.

[puc me]

fair play to you dixie, i will give a £100 also i will pm you with details, im down the road in coalisland.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Fair dues ghd, that's a fantastic effort. PM me with your details and I'll have some dough transferred.

[Norf Tyrone]

If you manage to secure a van, I will donate £100 towards your fuel costs. We also keep a stock of "emergency presents" in the house, basically some toys or kids clothes in case we forget anyones birthdays, I`ll throw those in as well and anything else that I can think of.
Well dont for getting off your arse and doing something, too many of us like to talk plenty, but rarely do anything else.

100%. I'll wing you a few quid too, if you PM me your details.

[Rav67]

If I can make a donation using paypal or something similar I will.  Or if a cheque would be easier pm me you address and say who it should be made out to.  Fair play for doing this btw.

[Baile an tuaigh]

Give her dixie I have nothing but the up most respect for you and what you are doing. Can you pm me your full address so I can make a donation. My out box pm's don't seem to work for some reason so you might not get a response. Good luck fella. 

[give her dixie]

Folks, your support so far has been amazing. We are now one sixth of the way there in a couple of hours. Well done to all.
As for the donations, keep them coming, however, since this project is in its early stages, I will let you all know how to make donations whenever I get more details.
It would be nice to keep a running total of money pledged, and clothes donated.  It would be a great way to keep the appeal motivating. Any thoughts?
As this is a GAA board, how about donating some jerseys from your club or your county? It would be good to see a few Palestinians in your club colours? Remember ye man in Georgia last year beside the tank in the Tyrone jersey! As I love photography, I will be sure to take a load of photos and have them posted.
The van will proudly carry a big "GGABOARD.COM" logo, and maybe someone can russle up a flag of support from the board.
Will have more information on the trip tomorrow, as there are still visa issues to be dealt with, along with me having to get a  British Passport, as my Irish one wont do.....
Thanks again for all the support and best wishes.

John.

PS. This trip is motivated by a true story I was told while living in Portland Oregon by a guitar player from Dublin, Aidan Brennan. It was about how a native American Indian Choctaw tribe raised money, and walked for hundreds of miles to send money back to the people of Ireland who were in the throws of the Famine.   I will copy and paste the Wikipedia version of the true story. (Not that Aidans story wasn't true, it's just that I can't remember the exact facts)

In 1847, midway through the Great Irish Famine (1845–1849), a group of American Indian Choctaws collected $710 (although many articles say the original amount was $170 after a misprint in Angie Debo's The Rise and Fall of the Choctaw Republic) and sent it to help starving Irish men, women and children. "It had been just 16 years since the Choctaw people had experienced the Trail of Tears, and they had faced starvation... It was an amazing gesture. By today's standards, it might be a million dollars." according to Judy Allen, editor of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma's newspaper, Bishinik, based at the Oklahoma Choctaw tribal headquarters in Durant, Oklahoma. To mark the 150th anniversary, eight Irish people retraced the Trail of Tears,[73] and the donation was publicly commemorated by President Mary Robinson.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

That is absolutely 100% about the Choctaws and the Great Hunger, it was an astonishing act of selflessness.