Visit by Doris Epple

Dear Friends,

we want to tell you about a special event and share our great joy with you.

The 8th September of this year was a very important day for us. Doris Epple, who has been for 14 yearssupportingthe work of our charity, came to St. Petersburg for an annual visit.

Thanks to Mrs. Doris Epple support, we are able to run many important social projects, such as the Soup Kitchen "Tatiana", theSocial Children’sClub "Ostrovok", the Day Care Center in the city of Luga "Children in Need", the Homeless Kitchens in St. Petersburg and Pskov, the charity project for children with disabilities in the city of Pskov and the Nursing Home for the Disabled "Under the wings of Doris" in St. Petersburg. Within these projects, more than 150 people daily receive necessary assistance, including hot meals, medicine and clothes.

During her visits, Doris Epplepays great attention to personal interaction with her employees and beneficiaries. The visit by Mrs. Epple is always an important event for these people because it provides an opportunity to say “thank you” to her personally, shake her hand and just smile to the woman who for so many years has helped the needy in Russia.

On that day, a lot of people gathered in the soup kitchen "Tatiana": single elderly men and women, disabled people and single mothers of large families. Some came with flowers, others brought berries, and the third sang songs for her. Doris Epple took time for each one and listened attentively to all of them when the visitors requested for help and expressed their gratitude.

The representatives of the administration and the social welfare department of the district "Petrogradsky", in which the soup kitchen "Tatiana" is situated, also thanked Doris Epple for helping the districtresidents and awarded her with a certificate of appreciation.

It must be emphasized that on the 29th November 2011 the St. Petersburg Governor’sadministration decoratedMrs. Doris Epplewith the badge of honor 'For Mercy "of the Governor of St. Petersburg. This medalwas awarded in recognition of her special contribution to tackling homelessness in our city.

On the 28th April 2012,Mr. Winfried Kretschmann, the state premier of Baden-Württemberg, awarded Mrs. Doris Epplewith the Order of Merit of this federated state. This highest decoration is given for outstanding achievements in religious, cultural, political, social, sporting or scientific fields. Previously, Mrs. Epple hadalready been awarded with the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. Thus, she is the bearer of the highest honors of her country.

The retired optician, Mrs. Doris Epple, lives in southern Germany, on Lake Constance. In the mid-90s, she visited St. Petersburg for the first time, and since that time she raises donations throughout Germany for a soup kitchen for the homeless and various relief projects for street children and the disabled. Currently, there are about 20 projects in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kazakhstan, Siberia and Ukraine. Together with the Hospital Association “Karl-Olga-Krankenhaus”,Doris Eppleallowed access to free surgeries in Stuttgart for three disabled persons from Russia.

In December 2011, Doris Eppleestablishedthe "Doris Epple Foundation - Aid to the Poor in Russia". Every morning, even on holidays and weekends, she begins her work for the needy. In her office at home, she has a writing table, pens, writing paper, envelopes, and a boundless desire to help the people in need in Russia.

Every day Doris Epple writes many letters to people in Germany. In her letters, she tells about the life of the poor and needy in Russia and about the needs and problems they have to confront. Doris basically sends no e-mails and no letters typed on the computer. All her messages are lovingly written by hand. With these letters, she addresses personally to each recipient and thanks for his support of her initiatives in Russia.

We thank Mrs. Doris Epple for her exemplary commitment, for her great, overflowing heart and for her tireless desire to do good to poorpeople in Russia.