X-MAS MESSAGE

Dear Comrades and Friends,

We consider this time of the year as the most important one, the time to be thankful for our blessings. Usually this is the time of the year when we all gather together, but this year we’ll be different, this year has been very hard for many of us because of the Covid-19 crisis, lockdowns, restrictions on people's movements and limitation of freedom imposed by governments in many countries. The year 2020 is about to end to give way to another year hopefully better than this one, and full of many great changes and opportunities.

Over this past year we were forced to suspend most of our training and social activities, but we never stopped working, we did our best to help the population and the authorities. We launched a successful fundraising campaign and thanks to the generosity of our members and friends our humanitarian project - EPAID For Covid-19 Crisis - was a huge success and around 20.000 pieces of PPEs was collected and distributed by our Operational Detachments to the local authorities of some of the most needed areas of Europe where support was most crucial. We have also instituted a special medal to award the EPA members and non-members alike who have served during the crisis.

The year 2020 also marked the anniversary of a monumental event - the 2500th anniversary of the Battle of Thermopylae, so even if it was really hard to plan and accomplish events there was something that we could never give up, no matter what the circumstances, create an amazing commemorative medal to mark this historical event and gather our members at the Thermopylae in Greece for the anniversary of the Battle to commemorate and honor, with a 25 km military ruck march on the historical battle place, the sacrifice of King Leonidas and his brave 300 Spartan warriors who twenty-five centuries ago fell in that holy place fighting to the death in an epic struggle against tyranny.

Finally, last but not least, our Christmas Charity Project - TOY DROP Airborne Veterans For Children In Need - is still going on! So if you want to donate for the project now is the right time. Your generosity will enable orphans coming from war-torn eastern Ukraine to receive not only toys and sweets, but also more important clothing, bedding sets, diapers, medical supplies and other equipment.

Together, we are making the European Paratroopers Association one of the world's greatest airborne organizations of all time. Enjoy and take pride in all you have done to move our Association forward. All the EPA Staff and I look forward to seeing you at our CHRISTMAS DINNER & SOCIAL, and at all our other winter events, the SMALL ARMS MARKSMANSHIP CHALLENGE and the OPERATION TOY DROP, that will be held in late January instead of the usual December date.

On behalf of the European Paratroopers Association, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful Happy New Year!

Giulio Festa,

President European Paratroopers Associationy!