We awaited our 1st snowfall until February; then 2 days of blizzard trapped some of our caregivers in the group homes and others at their residences.
 Thank God, all the youngsters here have been healthy after the 1st rounds of colds & flu which hit us in December & January! | Despite the piles of snow, Anca has been able to keep the workshop going with a project of trinkets to send to Italy to hopefully raise funds. She is directed remotely by board member Eithne who visits frequently. |  |
 | The county food bank has been working with us to provide assorted products from area stores. Because those products generally have short dating, we distribute then to local families in need as quickly as possible.  |
Another supporter from Italy, Ettore, who is also a board member, arranges a semi-load of clothing, food, toys, etc. every December. We are truly grateful for this boost to our resources. The goods we cannot use within a reasonable time are delivered to families in our area.
 Only 4 of our residents have been able to maintain contact with their biological families, Alexandru, Anca, Gelu and Mariana, and all of them have visited in person. A couple have occasionally sent presents. So it's a sad time when they hear of a death of one of those people for whom our residents still keep a flickering love........................................... Gelu, for example, found out that his birth mother passed on at the end of February. This brought back a flood of memories for Gelu, recalling the day his parents dropped him off at the "orphanage" in Nicoresti. All his "adopted" brothers and sister share in his grief. |  As the war in Ukraine enters its 2nd year, we are blessed to have been a small part of assisting the influx of refugees. Our Casa Elisabeta remains available, but the transition of refugees is now facilitated in the large cities, so our remote location has become a last resort in the big picture.  |
As spring is showing signs of mollifying the challenges of winter, we naturally begin to prepare to tidy up the grounds and plan the gardens. The snow drops and crocuses have already started to bloom, signalling that it's time to put in onion sets and, a bit later, to plant peas, lettuce, etc.