Tropicals & Tender Perennials: This Pink Brug comes with a story, 0 by Janett_D

Janett_D wrote:
I bought this brug as a tiny small rooted cutting this spring.
It comes from a organisation called "Eriks Help" a salvation army like foundation that was started by Erik(born 1929) that was born with the severest form a Hemofilia. The doctors said that Erik wouldnt reach adulthood and therefor the scoolboard denied him education with the words "no use, he is going to die soon anyway so why waste money on education.
Well Erik didnt die and his parents taught him to read and write. He spent long periods in hospital with nothing to do so he started to write letters to other kids in hospitals around Sweden. He got the names and adresses from a radio show called "Kids Mailbox" hosted by Sven Jerrings. When he wasent hospitilised he visited sick kids at the hospital and read storys to them and kept them company. He also collected toys and clothes for the poorest of the children. When Erik was seventeen Sven Jerring invited him to visit his radioshow to talk about his sickness and charitywork. After that radionshow gifts and monay started to poor in.
In 1951 Erik:s charitywork had grown and he asked a friend for help to start to the foundation "Eriks Help".
Uncle Erik as he was called by all the kids had two mottos that he lived by "Sick kids can be happy kids" and "Every child HAS the right to education". Uncle Erik passed away in 1966 at age 37 but his Organisation lives on.They currently builds and keeps Scools and healthcare facilitys for kids going in 35 countries. 90% of the personal working in this Organisation does it on a volontair (no pay) basis as Erik wanted as much money as possible to go to kids all over the world.

Several years ago an old gardener in Gamleby was moving to a retirement home and he donated his huge pink brug to Eriks Help and every spring the cut it down and root all the cutting and sell them in their store here in Gamleby as the motherplant grows just inside there entrance in a non freezing outbuilding.
SO even if the first Brugflower always hold a special place THIS is the one Brug that always going to hold the special place in my heart.