As of: February 12, 2024, 1:00 p.m
By: Christiane Mühlbauer
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The blind Pit Blachetta from Bichl experienced a huge wave of willingness to help.
After reporting in our newspaper and on social media about Beate Kreichgauer's campaign, numerous helpers came to clean up his house or donated money with which the necessary new purchases were made.
© Arndt Pröhl
After the devastating hailstorm at the end of August, many citizens donated to aid projects in the Loisachtal.
Donations were also received from the community of Benediktbeuern.
How did the projects develop?
How is the money distributed?
Benediktbeuern/Bichl - The hailstorm that hit parts of the southern district on August 26th is one of the worst weather disasters in the region's history.
Private individuals who have found themselves in an existential emergency as a result of the consequences can submit an application for emergency aid to the district office until March 31st.
“20 applications have been received so far,” says press spokeswoman Sabine Schmid when asked.
After hail storm: Benediktbeuern sets up aid fund - list of criteria for payment
However, the hurdles for being classified as a hardship case are high.
“Priority must be given to using other available resources, such as insurance benefits, tax advantages or your own assets,” says a statement from the Bavarian Ministry of Finance.
Shortly after the storm, the municipality of Benediktbeuern was the only one of the affected municipalities to set up an aid fund.
Many people, but also clubs, have donated to this cause in the past few months.
85,000 euros have now been received.
Who gets how much money now?
This is a question that has caused Mayor Anton Ortlieb a headache in recent weeks.
A catalog of criteria has now been developed in the town hall, which was also submitted to the legal supervisory authority in the district office for final review.
“We have a good exchange,” says Ortlieb.
All legal questions regarding the procedure should be clarified shortly.
Money from hardship funds is distributed to private individuals with their main and secondary residence in Benediktbeuern
Money from this fund is distributed in a points system to private individuals who have their main or secondary residence in Benediktbeuern.
The maximum amount of support you can apply for for damage to buildings is 3,000 euros and for damage to inventory, 1,000 euros.
Not only owners, but also tenants can apply for money for inventory damage up to a maximum of 1,000 euros.
Payment is made regardless of insurance, provided you can prove it accordingly.
“There are also citizens whose insurance has not covered all the costs,” says Ortlieb.
Where and how you can submit the application to the municipality will be announced shortly, says Ortlieb.
There will be a deadline within which applications must be submitted.
The form will also be available on the municipality's website.
Private individuals have also called for fundraising campaigns
A committee “watches” over the award, which, in addition to the mayor, also consists of a representative each from the Catholic and Protestant parishes, the Zammlebn neighborhood assistance association and the VdK.
“Data protection is a top priority,” says Ortlieb.
The committee will review all applications.
If there are any uncertainties, evidence will definitely be requested, says Ortlieb.
If the distribution to private individuals has ended but there is still money available in the fund, clubs can also apply.
“We will then communicate this,” says Ortlieb.
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A few days after the storm, private individuals publicly called for fundraising campaigns - for example Beate Kreichgauer.
She asked for donations and clean-up help for her friend Pit Blachetta in Bichl.
The man is blind.
His small accommodation had suffered severe water damage and everything was full of broken glass.
Our newspaper reported on Kreichgauer's cry for help shortly after the day of the accident.
“The response was huge,” she says.
The following weekend, around 40 volunteers came, “from students to craftsmen to doctors.”
Together they cleaned up, replaced the floors, painted and, if they could do it themselves, restored it.
In addition, according to the newspaper report, around 6,000 euros were received in private donations.
“The money was completely used up to renew the furnishings and things we had to buy to repair.”
“I still get goosebumps today when I think about the support”
What also made them happy was the fact that a Bichl farmer made his trailer available to take the things to the bulky waste, the Benediktbeuren supermarket donated drinks and the landlady of the “Bavarian Lion” from Bichl provided food for them for three days Helpers provided.
"That was great.
I still get goosebumps today when I think about the support.”
Kreichgauer reports that the roof of the small property was re-roofed by the owner and the windows were also replaced.
This was done through insurance.
Kreichgauer invited the helpers to dinner in December.
“We are now a very nice group and a core group of around 15 people who keep in touch via WhatsApp.
If it hadn’t been for the campaign for Pit, we wouldn’t have met.”
The Benediktbeuren-based “Oldtimerspezl” also initiated a public fundraising campaign last September via the online platform “Go fund me”.
The site shows that 93 people donated a total of 5,221 euros.
As the association informed our newspaper when asked, the money will soon be donated to the community fund.
(trouble)
Information about the hardship fund
is available online on the Ministry of Finance website: www.finanzministerium.bayern.de/service/finanzielle_hilfen/unwetter_202308/
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