The Jeep Willys
It soon becomes apparent that another more robust means of transport is desirable to reach the far corners of the island. They can borrow a jeep from Ioannina’s team, but then they must pick it up themselves. George and Anna fly from Athens to Ioannina on October 10 in 1960, but the weather conditions are so bad, they do not get further than Agrinion. By rented car they continue to Ioannina. With members of the Ioannina team, they visit the recently excavated Dodoni amphitheatre and other places of interest. In the evening, in the darkness and on a narrow road, their car collides with an oncoming car. George is unconscious for some time and when he comes to, but not understanding what has happened, he walks away from the location of the accident. When his mind clears, he walks back to the spot of the clash and where all the others still stayed. For a couple of days, he suffers of headaches.
With the jeep make Willys they drive back to Neapolis for the crossing by kaïki to Kythira. Here they arrive in Agia Pelagia on October 18.
As soon as the reforestation project starts, forester Giannis Zerlendes is allowed to use the Willys, with the petrol paid by the Team. In fact, he drives so often in the Willys that people think Giannis owns the vehicle.
Naturally the deal was that Team members could make use of the Willys whenever needed.
Chris-Paul Stapels > meet the Kytherians here
Roaring like a tank one afternoon the open Willys drove through the narrow streets of the villages Chora, Livadi, Karvounades, Aroniadika and Potamos to the settlement of Agia Anastasia. The exhaust pipe had clearly broken off from the cylinder block! This could not be repaired straight away. I was the driver with passengers Anna Koksma and her daughter Wies, we were going to visit the family of Theodoros Venardos. When it was time for the return trip, Wies sat on the steel bench in the rear and was still talking to Mrs. Venardos. I let the clutch come on too quickly and Wies went head over to the ground! Her mother has never again been so angry with me. Fortunately, Wies was not harmed seriously, only rather frightened.
In the monthly work report of April 1969, it was noted that the jeep Willys had been returned to CWS, Church World Service.
Other equipment: the bulldozer and the aircompressor