This year the Szlachetna Paczka coverage comes up later than usual as the final days (weekend cudów) were staged a week before Christmas, not roughly 10 - 16 days ahead of the festive season, as customarily. The timing in the pre-holiday rush was not the most fortunate and hopefully in 2024 it will be held earlier.
This year's edition in my district was another record-breaking one, with 85 families visited by volunteers (+1 vs. 2022) and 58 taken on (+5 vs. 2022). The latter number meant logistics of collecting the paczki from donators and delivering them to families was a sort of a challenge, yet with proper planning in advance and more than a bit of spontainety in diverging from the plan during the final weekend, we have it without botch-ups (which I deem to be quite an achievement).
I feared 2023 edition in Ursynów would be impacted by high rotation of volunteers. Most of my friends who supported me in 2022 dropped off for several reasons and hence out of 26 volunteers less merely 7 had track record in the area. Nevertheless, the vast majority of newcomers have found their way in the Paczka easily and upon overcoming fears of first meetings with families, they carried on superbly. I am glad to have been a part of such team.
This year we received several applications (which must be submitted by third parties, not potential beneficiaries themselves) to visit families already contacted in previous edition. Not a truly fortunate state of affairs, since as a matter of principle, Szlachetna Paczka ought to be a one-off trigger of positive changes in families' lives. But as most of the recurring families were elderly people living on their own, we eventually have taken many of them on. In 2024 we will need to take a look at the formula of the wise aid and talk over whether to redefine our targets.
In 2023 I was a volunteer, a deputy leader and deputy logistics co-ordinator. My role was much less time-consuming than last year and I know I could carry on with such scope of responsibilities into 2024. I have not talked to the leader, whether she would want to continue her role. I know it is too early to raise the topic, given I realise how exhausted she is now.
The blend of fatigue and happiness which kept me company during the weekend of miracles and past it, is an unforgettable feeling. It sometimes takes to little to bring lots of pure you into someone's life, by delivering them ordinary stuff such as warm jacket for the winter or a brand-new washing machine, stuff we take for granted to have it in place, sadly still unaffordable for many. This year I don't experience the burnout I had a year ago. I feel now is the time to recharge batteries before the next edition, so temporarily do not crave for more, but I am quite sure my adventure with the Paczka is not over.
Next post due on 14 January 2024, once I am back from Wisła.
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