During Castleisland Community College teacher, Annette Steinborn’s daily commute from her home in Tralee, she observed large numbers of women walking from the Earl of Desmond Hotel towards Tralee town.
She noticed this on a daily basis and it didn’t take her long to realise that these were Ukrainian refugee women.
Unused Student Bikes
A native of Tralee, she contacted Leslie Talbot in Tralee regarding a collection of student bikes no longer in use and the possibility of donating them to the women in the Earl of Desmond. Leslie was happy to oblige and later rang to say that Lee Strand would also cover the cost incurred in the repair and service of the bikes.
Annette then decided to organise a bike collection in the school and the response was fantastic. Children’s scooters, bicycles, helmets, tractors and adult bikes were donated by parents and students.
All Hands on Deck
Fifth year students, Jack Griffin and Michael Costello used their tractors to transport bikes to the school and with the help of Eoin O’Connor, they collected bicycles from homes that wouldn’t fit into cars.
Motor Factors on Church Street Castleisland donated supplies for repair and cleaning bikes. Fifth year students then helped to clean up and fix bicycles. Halfords in Tralee also donated extra helmets.
Annette and her husband Karl, then delivered the greatly anticipated bicycles to the Ukrainian women and children.
Get the Wheels Rolling
A total of 33 adult bicycles along with children’s bicycles, tractors and scooters and helmets were collected.
“Annette’s response to the plight of the Ukrainian women certainly shows that one individual can certainly make a difference.
“It sometimes takes just one person to get the ball rolling or in this case to get the wheel rolling,” said Ms. Steinborn’s college colleague, Doreen Killington.
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