Chios Volunteer Fire Dept.

The short story:
I am a part time volunteer fire fighter on the Island of Chios in Greece. We are in desperate need of equipment. Any help is greatly appreciated. 

The long story:
My name is George, I am from an island in Greece called Chios. I was living there from 2009-2012. While I was there I joined a volunteer fire fighting team. I now live in Connecticut, USA. I travel back to Chios every year.
The work we do to protect the island from wild fires is essential to the ecosystem of Chios, especially because of a plant that gives a special meaning to the Chian flora: it is the so-called mastic tree. This amazing evergreen tree, also called Schinos, is uniquely grown in this island and, although mastic plants grow in many places on the island, it is systematically cultivated in the 21 mastic villages of southern Chios. Today mastic is protected by the EEC and guaranteed by the program for the protection of trade names (P.O.P.).
In the summer of 2012, a large fire burned over 90 percent of the mastic trees at the villages of Lithi, Elata and Vessa were destroyed while a large number of mastic trees were burned at the villages of Mesta, Armolia and Pyrgi. Again in 2016 two large fires had a catastrophic effect on the Mastic trees. 
Mastic was the main product responsible for the economic and social development of the Chian people for a long period and up to the present. Today, almost 5.000 families earn a significant portion of their income by cultivating the mastic and exporting it. 

Since 2013 I have been living in the United States and I have been the spokesperson and fundraiser for the group.  We need a new firetruck and funds up to the $50,000 will go towards the purchase of the vehicle. All funds beyond that, if any will go towards other firefighting equipment needed. 
For more information on who we are and what we do you can check out our facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/Εθελοντές-Ιωνίας-347483388717210/

Please share this GoFundMe page with friends and relatives, your help is needed & greatly appreciated!