Szlachetna Paczka 2021 , past the final weekend.

As some of the readers might remember, my experience with Szlachetna Paczka last year was rather bitter and shortly after the 2020 edition was over, I was intent on giving up on it (as a volunteer).

In mid-2021, as the virus eased and the vaccination programme was giving hope to put the pandemic closer to an end, I reconsidered my decision. In July, when I learnt a fellow volunteer had been appointed the leader of Ursynów area, I have made up my mind to join.

This year we started out early and closed our ranks in early September to look out for families which could become beneficiaries of programme. Thanks to concerted efforts we have managed to visit 74 families (vs. around 30 in 2020) and decided to organise aid for 46 of them (vs. 14 in 2020); thus we achieved a decent hit ratio of 62%.

I personally visited 15 families, 9 of them were brought in, for 4 I was a primary volunteer, which meant I had to do all the paperwork for them and co-ordinate contact with donators.

Back in July I was appointed to be in charge of logistics. This meant I had to find a centre of operations (magazyn) for the final weekend. I have fixed us up with the space in a newly opened Ursynowskie Centrum Kultury “Alternatywy”. The location and the very facilities have turned out to be a perfect venue. I have also drawn up a plan for collection and distribution of gift packages. Picking up 46 packages from donators and transporting them to 46 families seemed a big challenge, but thanks to an excellent planning (I will not spare myself praise this time) and execution (hats down to fellow volunteers), it all worked like a dream.

Human-wise, delivering packages to families, seeing their emotions and hoping the aid would kick-start them and open a door towards a better tomorrow brought off a lot of joy.

Although delivery of packages is over, the edition has not come to an end. I shall visit my families in coming weeks to see how they are faring and help them overcome some of barrier that hold them back.

Although we definitely pulled it off in 2021, there are lessons to be learnt before the 2022 edition in which I will definitely get involved. Firstly, we will start even earlier. Secondly, donators will need to instructed how to pack the gifts (nobody feels like lugging huge boxes whose weights reached 30 kilograms) and their preferences regarding pick-up timing will need to be agreed earlier. Thirdly, volunteers ought to handle transport of furniture and heavy white goods well ahead of the final weekend, so that those gifts do not go through the centre of operations.

A collision

2 November 2021
Early morning. After spending much of the long weekend at my girlfriend’s mother’s I have decided to wake up at 5:30 a.m. and return home before the morning rush hour. Streets are nearly empty, so the drive is smooth. Less than a kilometre from home I am on the right lane of ul. Belgradzka, driving exactly at the speed limit of 50 kmph. A red Toyota Yaris on the left lane trundles slowly, probably is about to do an illegal U-turn. My prediction of a fellow driver’s intention is wrong. She swerves right unexpectedly, trying to turn right from the left lane into a roadside car park and hits the left side of my Megane. My car is turned around and pushed into the lanes running in the opposite direction. Fortunately, no car is there, so a serious smash-up is averted.
After cooling down for a moment I fire up the engine and cautiously pull up into the car park. I get out. The damage to the vehicle is not as bad as I thought. The culprit of the accident right away admits her fault. Without undue unrest we set off to a nearby meat shop where she was supposed to have a training, to fill in the accident form I used to keep in the glove compartment for years. Suddenly it comes in useful.
Half an hour later I return home. I am still a bit of nervous, but first things first. I go to Lidl to do the shopping, eat breakfast, get down to work to handle the most urgent stuff. As business is taken care of, I learn what my rights in this situation are and how to ensure the car is repaired properly.
Early in the afternoon I report the accident to the culprit’s insurer (Uniqa).

4 November 2021
After two days of not being contacted by any representative of Uniqa, I call them. It turns out my accident report went astray and had to be recovered from the abyss of similar reports manually.
An hour later I pick up the phone and they already offer me a repair of my vehicle at Alfa Romeo’s garage. I refuse to have my car repaired by a different garage than a Renault authorised dealership. Then they offer me cash. I also turn down that proposal.
After two hours of studying my rights carefully I call Uniqa again and disconnect after exercising my right to have my car repaired by professionals and with original spare parts. The damages will be paid directly to the garage.

5 November 2021
I turn up at Renault Warszawa Puławska to have the sighting of the car. I sign documents which entitle the garage to claim the costs of the repair from the insurer. Since my car is theoretically roadworthy (but practically it ought to be driven cautiously, since the left-rear rim is dented and nobody knows whether undercarriage geometry is correct) I am not eligible for a substitute car. I hence have to borrow a company car if I am to move around safely.
Advised by a friend, I calculate the car’s value at Uniqa’s page, just in case they claim the cost of repair is above the car’s market value.

9 November 2021
The valuation of the repair is drawn up. It would cost approximately 15,000 PLN to restore the car to its pre-accident shape. Fortunately, this is well below the car’s market value, which is around 24,000 PLN.

11 November 2021
I hope for the best, but prepare for the worst, hence I download a guide on supreme court ruling which states the rights of drivers whose cars were damaged in accidents by other drivers. Just in case I brace for a nasty dispute with Uniqa.

15 November 2021
A car rental company contracts me. They want to fix me up with Kia Sportage, a SUV. I detest SUVs, besides, that car consumes 40% more petrol than my Megane. I kindly ask them go give me a compact car, if they lack one, a small city car.

16 November 2021
After two weeks of waiting I drive my car off to Renault Warszawa Puławska, then pick up the substitute car, which eventually is a Renault Megane IV sedan, with 1.5 diesel engine, automatic gearbox and nearly 60,000 kilometres on the clock. The car, driven by tens if not hundreds of drivers is rickety.

19 November 2021
I receive a letter from Uniqa. The insurer informs they have resolved to pay out 50% of compensation to Renault garage and pledge to pay the remaining half once an invoice is issued. Finance-wise all goes well.

21 November 2021
I park the substitute car in my garage and discover a scratch on the front bumper. Needless to say I refused to pay for insuring against my participation in the damage. I find the paint code and order a 10 ml paint with a brush on Allegro.

23 November 2021
For no apparent reason the car rental company wants the car back immediately, as the clock went past 60,000 kilometres and they need to have it serviced. I lie I am not home and cannot give the car back.

24 November 2021
The car paint does not arrive at my Paczkomat, although shoes for Szlachetna Paczka ordered on Monday came yesterday. I lie again to the car rental company I am away from home and the car stayed at home and cannot hand it over. Fortunately in the evening the paint arrives.

25 November 2021
I spend an hour in the morning cold carefully removing and painting the scratch. The effect is not awesome, but when a guy from the car rental company turns up at 4:00 p.m., he inspects the car carefully with a smartphone scorch and does not find the scratch. Several hundred zlotys are saved in my wallet. I pick up a Hyundai i30 with 1.0 engine from a lawn mower, with an automatic gearbox, which I dislike.

1 December 2021
I drive to Pyry to pick up a washing machine delivered to one of families I look after in Szlachetna Paczka. On my way there, the locking system conks out and driver’s door opens while I cross a speed bump. It’s all downhill now I hope.

7 December 2021
I pick up the car from repair. Done professionally, at the cost close to two-third of the vehicle’s value, but I do not give a damn about that expense. I am finally happy to have my well-run-in, looked-after reliable car with manual gearbox. With hindsight, I discover that the window opening mechanism in the left-rear door replaced during the repair does not work correctly. It will be fixed free of charge after Christmas.

Pandemic diary – weeks 90 & 91

Monday, 29 November 2021
In reaction to the new Variant of Concern (Omicron) the government announces tightened restrictions, which are… laughable and not enforceable.

Tuesday, 30 November 2021
Over the weekend I need to part with my girlfriend for a while. She moved to look after her (unvaccinated) mother down with COVID-19. Her saturation varies from 90% to 93%.
And customary month-end report of the sluggish pace of vaccinations in Poland.

1. Vaccine uptake in age groups – age groups reported by ECDC have been changed and booster status has been sorted out.

2. Vaccination status in the entire population of Poland

Wednesday, 1 December 2021
My girlfriend’s mother boosts today’s statistics of new infections. She will be isolated until 9 December, but actually is recovering. I believe it takes weeks before she pulls through.

Thursday, 2 December 2021
During the current wave infections of children aged below 12 are prevalent. Lots of friends whose offspring go to nursery or elementary schools now see their daughters and son down with COVID-19 (i.e. no longer asymptomatic carriers).

Friday, 3 December 2021
In Slovakia 1 in 358 citizens was tested positive the day before, in which the country sets the new record, hard to be broken, unless we underestimate potential of Omicron and testing capacities.

Saturday, 4 December 2021
70% of Warsaw’s population fully vaccinated. No idea how many unvaccinated słoiki hang around, no idea, how many of those people have deceased in the meantime, how many had previously been infected, how many no longer have antibodies, how many have had a booster. Statistics seem good for nothing.

Sunday, 5 December 2021
Ustronie Morskie as the first gmina in Poland reaches the threshold of 75% of population vaccinated with at least one dose.

Monday, 6 December 2021
Number of new infections reported within last 7 days: 163,687
Number of first doses administered within last 7 days: 161,593
The figures speak for themselves.

Tuesday, 7 December 2021
More than 2,000 patients on ventilators. Hospitals in Warsaw.
With hindsight – the Delta wave hits its peak of new infections with 7-day average of 23,425; lower than during two previous waves. Officially.

Wednesday, 8 December 2021
After a stay in hospital last week, my mother has symptoms of potential infection. She refuses to get the referral for a regular PCR test, so I buy an antigen test in a pharmacy and learn how to conduct it on my own. The result is clearly negative.
4 days later – all symptoms are gone

Thursday, 9 December 2021
The chart of new infections shows a plateau. Since 28 November the 7-day average number of new infections has been in a narrow range from 23,100 to 23,500 daily.

Friday, 10 December 2021
The 7-day average of new deaths hits 400. There is some chance hitting 500 is out of reach this month.

Saturday, 11 December 2021
Szlachetna Paczka final weekend is… also a great opportunity to catch the virus. A pity I have not been eligible for the booster ahead of it.

Reasons to worry

Being in a swing of things, I write for posterity, to record my mindset.

Note many reasons for optimism, but I keep hoping the future is brighter than today.

I worry about my country, about how it is ruled.

I worry about the rising inflation, since it impoverishes those already underprivileged. I do not worry about myself. The recent pay rise has offset the higher costs of living and my savings have been parked in inflation-linked government bonds. I know how to take care of myself.

I worry about my compatriots, stupid enough not to get their jab and merrily spreading the virus which takes away more than a thousand lives every three days.

I worry about my girlfriend’s mother, who is pulling through from COVID-19 (also unvaccinated) and possible long-term implications for her health.

I worry about my parents whose access to healthcare has been impeded by the pandemic. I worry about my mother’s cardiac problems which prevent her from having a hip joint surgery. I worry about my father who is facing a diagnosis to confirm or rule out a prostate cancer.

I worry that 5 out of 46 families looked after volunteers from Ursynów area in Szlachetna Paczka have not found their donators, less than a week ahead of the final weekend. More on this on Boxing day.

I do not worry, but have had several stressful moments after a car collision I had over a month ago. More on this in two weeks.

I long for a peace of mind. I long for a restful sleep and waking up later than 5:00 a.m. Fortunately, some of those issues will be sorted out. Others, which cannot be influenced by me, should not worry me excessively. Keeping a healthy distance towards whatever the life brings sounds like a good recipe for not ending up as a bundle of nerves.