I could provide a detailed description of the videos and images you may have already seen on TV, Facebook, or other social media, but instead, I will include a link to the Czech Radio Olomouc programme, "Directly from the Scene," where journalist Petra Ševců visited the areas hardest hit in the Olomouc region. (You can find the all-day recordings on Czech Radio by selecting Sunday, 6th October, and listening to the programme "Directly from the Scene" from 9:10 a.m.). In the most affected areas, the water levels were one metre higher than during the catastrophic floods of 1997, when Moravia and Silesia faced unimaginable devastation.

However, the Moravian-Silesian region was no less affected. Pavel Novotný from RC Ostrava International could likely provide the most vivid account, as he, along with his friends and people from his foundation, tirelessly worked in the hardest-hit areas for several days. As of Friday, the estimated damages have reached 1.9 billion CZK (1,900,000,000 CZK).

I kindly ask if you could discuss within your clubs the possibility of contributing at least 1,000 CZK (40 EUR) per member. The donations should be sent to the district fund managed by RC Opava, in coordination with our district, and overseen by a coordination team appointed by the District Governor.

For transfers within the Czech Republic:
FIO Bank, Account No.: 2100461049/2010
Account Name: ROTARY club Opava

For transfers from Slovakia:
IBAN: CZ07 2010 0000 0021 0046 1049
BIC: FIOBCZPPXXX
Account Name: ROTARY club Opava

I know many of you have already helped, both personally and through your clubs, and I am familiar with the saying, "He who gives quickly, gives twice." But as mentioned in the radio programme, it will take decades to recover from this disaster. Now, after the worst has subsided and the cleaning efforts have begun, the full extent of the damage will become visible. Dryers, building materials, heaters, and alternatives to heating will be needed – in some areas, the force of the water destroyed entire sections of gas pipelines. And that doesn’t even touch on the psychological impact on the people who have experienced flooding for the second or third time, not to mention the children who will see their parents' anxiety and may not fully understand why.

As for how my club has helped, RC Olomouc (of which I am a member) has agreed to contribute 1,000 CZK per member, as mentioned above. Additionally, many members have personally helped their relatives and friends or provided a truck and excavator. In collaboration with RC Olomouc City, several hundred litres of disinfectant were delivered directly to Jeseník. We are also preparing club support for Litovel, which is close to us.

If you are wondering how I personally will contribute, my book, "Malé královské senêk," in which I co-authored a retelling in the Haná dialect, will be released on 30th October 2024. Thanks to a collaboration with Martina Dlabajová (RC Zlín), I will purchase 100 copies and donate all proceeds from sales to help repair the library in Třech Dvorech, a local part of Litovel.

In the mentioned radio programme, one of the affected individuals spoke about how this disaster helped to close gaps between people. If something like this had to happen, I would be glad if it could also help to close the gaps we have within Rotary. Thank you very much if you decide to contribute, whether as a club or individually.

For the coordination team, comprised of:
1/ Pavel Brída, President of RC Opava
2/ Pavel Novotný, President of RC Ostrava International
3/ Jan Krejčí, President of RC Olomouc
4/ Petr Becher, Past-President of RC Ostrava International, Deputy Mayor of Ostrava-Mariánské Hory, Member of the Regional Flood Commission

Sincerely,
Jan Krejčí
RC Olomouc