Today is the new beginning...

So friends, here we are, all of us who contributed to a historical action for water here in Kallikratis, an action the like of which has not ever been seen before..

We were all willing to take the risk, we risked everything we had, a total of 6500 euro.... we were all enthusiastic about the project, became a team, we wrote history, we inspired and awed everyone who heard about it.. from allover we are, we all know Kallikratis, we all have spend time here, we were all willing to give it a try. We did not loose, we won, we won in showing, that together we can do things, nobody could do by himself. And its not just talk we contributed, we all contributed funds, and action, work, enthusiasm, hope and love, the excitement and the whole spectrum of emotions during the actual drilling days, ... we actively did something and did it together!! Thanks for all the support, it has been overwhelming...

Giannis and Anna Bitsakis, Chania, Crete
Lampis Xilouris, Herakleion, Crete
Arnold, Evelyn, Jaqueline, Holland
Jill and Derek Pearce, Kavros, Crete
Giorgos Markoulakis, Gerani, Crete
Giannis Tsagarakis and Maria Tolidou, Chania, Crete
Giangos Chairetis, Anogia, Crete
Nikos Psilos, Chania, Crete
Willy and Johnny de Zeeuw, Holland
Thomas and Martha Brandt, Christiania, Denmark
Manfred Hoffmann and Moni, Dresden, Germany
Ina Hviding, Norway
Giorgos Vougioukalos, Argyroupoli, Crete
Eleni Tsalikidou, Argyroupoli, Crete
Panagiotis Angelakis, Zoniana, Crete
Joscha Lücke, Berlin, Germany
Mitsos Karnagio, Chania, Crete
David Troutman, Chania, Crete
Kiria Stella Psaroudakis, Chania, Crete
Antonis Dagas, Chania, Crete
Henk Ploeger, Holland
Isolde Eleni Bichsel, Chania, Crete
Giorgos Tsoupakis, Frangokastello, Crete
Mitscha Rütsch, Bornholm, Denmark
Janne Gjerken, Norway
Jörg and Sandra Flaschka, Jena, Germany
ST and Regina, Berlin, Germany
Triandafyllia (Filio) Syka, Modi, Crete
Sheena Inoue, Bornholm, Denmark
Eva and Evtychia Christodoulaki, Modi, Crete
Giannis Ravdoskopos, Moudros, Crete
Maria (Mario) Matamadiotou, Plaka, Crete
Lill Heldre Gulli, Norway
Kristine Heldre, Norway
Heleen Kennedy, Scotland
Ria Vermeulen, Holland
Thomas Venakis, Zouridi, Crete
Dimitra and Mimis, Chania, Crete and Scopelos
Argiri Agavanaki, Athens
Giorgis Katsoulos, Frangokastello
Babis Psaroudakis and Janina Sørensen, Kallikratis, Crete

Additionally, Zacharis and Irini Daskalakis from Siva ecological wine production, Heraklion, as well as Nikos Psilos from Chania, each contributed 20 liters of the excellent Daskalakis ecological wine for the drilling days, local friends from around donated meat and goatcheese. Giannis came with vegetables from his garden, from Argiroupoli potatoes and a rabbit arrived. Spiros, one of the village guys spent a whole day carrying water for the drilling, four times one straight after the other, he went down to Frangokastello to fetch a cubic of water, each took a journey of one and a half hours. Thanks!!!!!!!

Even though, you might notice, that only two village people from Frangokastello, have actually contributed funds to the drilling, the support of the local village has been enormous, once the drilling started. They had said, they would contribute if the water would be found, they wouldn't share the risk.

But they were all excited when it actually happened, they all came by, wished us luck, they all had hopes, and now they are inspired, talking, sharing in what can be done from now on.. Its like we have shaken them into action as well....

Yesterday, 30th of August

Yesterday then, in the morning, we ordered the water to fill up the deposits..

Babis and Johnny went to collect manure from a neighbor, Andreas the goatherd, shovelled it into sacks to use in our garden.. Johnny joked 'well, when they ask me in Holland why I suddenly went down to Crete for 4 days, I'll say: 'I had to shovel shit'...

Above, you see Johnny with Andreas and Dimitris, our neighbors here in the summer.. everyone came by, and we talked about where to go from here, what kind of possibilities we'd have now to get water for the village..

There will be local elections in November.. how can we use our action trying to drill for water, in a bigger scale.. we, together with more than 50 people, have done our best.. now it must be up to the local authorities to finally find a solution for this village.. we all agreed, that this our action, is not the end, but just the beginning...

Then it was time for Willy and Johnny to leave back to Holland, here we are down in Argyroupoli at Giorgos' place for a final drink and to see them off... great friends, which showed up so unexpectedly..

We spent the rest of the evening and half of the night at Giorgos' taverna.. We have already made history, everybody knew the story, is amazed by all of us, that 50 people from allover contributed, that we made it happen, that we tried, that we, all of us, took action, set an example...

Everyone agreed, that it was not a failure, but a great success.. maybe, we didn't get water in a day or two, but we will get it, this is just the beginning, this is a stone which started rolling and cannot be stopped anymore, and we will get water here to the village. It just will take a little longer, but we have done it, all of us, we all have started it...

Suddenly, everything went positive again, ideas came in.. there will be local elections in November, we need publicity, we could make petition lists, collect hundreds of peoples support and signatures, demanding water for Kallikratis, we have the support of the villages around as well, that was most clear. Suggestions and support came from this villagers in Argyroupoli, for organizing an event in Kallikratis, inviting the media, politicians, musicians etc.. well, its getting bigger, it will go on, the stone is rolling...

This was just the beginning, we agreed....