The nice gesture of this restaurateur for the Ukrainian basketball team
Since February 24 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, many civilians have tried by all means to flee their country at war and to survive the bombardments. In the space of four days, more than 500,000 Ukrainians have already left far from their homes. Realizing the seriousness of the situation, an Italian restaurateur who arrived in France in 2013 offered to house the country’s women’s basket team in his premises. It was by posting a message on his Facebook account offering his help that he was finally put in touch with the players’ coach, reported France 3 Regions.
Aware of the luck of not being in a country at war, Carmelo D’Agostino immediately offered his help. Owner of a restaurant in Haute-Savoie, the Italian has recently bought new premises to set up another restaurant there. But this one will not be moved in for three months. This leaves a long availability to host this women’s basketball team. “It does not interest me to know who is right between Putin and Zelensky. What interests me are the Ukrainians who are in need,” he explained to our colleagues.
A call for donations has been launched
The basketball players managed to get to Romania and will pass through Poland before arriving on French territory. For his part, their trainer could not follow them since he is old enough to fight. The Ukrainian president having announced the general mobilization, the man is not able to leave the country. Carmelo D’Agostino hopes to welcome the team ‘before the end of the week’. In the meantime, the courageous restaurateur has launched an appeal for donations on social networks. Indeed, his premises are completely empty and nothing is therefore planned to accommodate the Ukrainians properly.
“Anyone who can help provide beds, sheets, blankets, clothes, etc. Olga, Anastasia, Anna, Maria, Katerina, Veronica, Anastasia, Pasiko, Olena, Irina and Yuri thank you in advance,” it read. on the pizzeria’s Facebook page. Fate sometimes does things right. According to France 3 Regions, the women’s basketball team has already visited the neighboring department, Isère, on several occasions. Each year, they take part in the “International Tournament of twelve large 3x3s for the national team”, a competition takes place in the town of Voiron. It was also during this tournament that the players met a friend of Carmelo D’Agostino, who initiated this contact.
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