the Nature Sport Station welcomes Ukrainian refugees

The Marcillac-la-Croisille nature sports resort has room. It has 67 beds, unoccupied in this off-season period.. It is therefore quite logical that she was asked by the prefecture to enter the Corrèze system for welcoming Ukrainian refugees. And in fact she welcomed its first refugees last Thursday, two mothers and their three children.

regain strength

But these are already gone because the Corrézienne nautical base is not intended to provide sustainable accommodation. « We are more of a transit platform » explains the director of the structure Romain Marcaud. The refugees therefore stay there for the time to recharge their batteries, « to rest, to eat well, to sleep well, to wash too, to take a little care of them ». A few days then and they leave for their final place of residence. The 8 employees of the station must be ready in an emergency. « We are warned a few hours in advance, specifies Romain Marcaud. It’s like a doctor who is on call ».

We take reality in the face » Romain Marcaud, director of the Nature Sport Station

Like the other employees of the base However, Romain Marcaud did not expect to be so touched by this welcome. « It shakes. I can seem a little gruff, a little solid, a little strong. No! Because in fact we take reality in the face. Those we welcomed on Thursday (…) had left from Ukraine 6 days ago and for 6 days it was the first time they could take a shower, eat their fill, sit at a table and sleep in a bed. And that when you take it in the mouth, it stings a little“.

A surge of solidarity

To help them, the employees of the Marcillac-la-Croisille station can count on solidarity: residents, associations have already made many donations like La Dordogne de Village en Barrage which made a first collection during its general assembly last Saturday. « It is the philosophy of the association to show solidarity with anyone who may be in difficulty » underlines its president Jean-Marc Chirier. The association has planned another collection during a hiking weekend on April 2 and 3.