Gilles Gade, a member of the AFMDA National Board, brings tireless dedication to the work of Magen David Adom. In addition to raising awareness and funds for MDA, Gilles, a paramedic himself, volunteers with MDA whenever he spends time in Israel. In conversation with MDA medics during his time volunteering, he came to realize that more needs to be done to show MDA volunteers the appreciation of all Am Yisrael for their tireless dedication to saving lives. With the support of AFMDA, and MDA’s partnership, Cross River and co-sponsor Dr. Avishai Neuman of Centurion Anesthesia launched a special initiative to say ‘thank you’ to the men and women who give everything they have to helping others.
“Every day, MDA volunteers drop everything and run towards emergencies,” explained Gilles, on why he was inspired to spearhead the project. “It became clear how meaningful and impactful it would be to express our appreciation, encouragement, and connection for their devotion to saving lives. These volunteers are heroes, and we want them to feel seen, valued, and appreciated.” With the support of Ilan Klein, of MDA’s International Division and, Itamar Abramovich, director of MDA’s Community Division, a plan was hatched.
The project launched with food trucks, planned and executed by Chef Pini Paloch and Shai Graucher traveling between MDA stations from Kiryat Shmona in the far north to Eilat at Israel’s southernmost point, providing teams with a brief moment of relief and high-quality, chef-prepared meals as a token of appreciation for their unwavering commitment and work. Gilles described this phase as a modest beginning. The hope is to expand the program to reach more medics with more gestures of appreciation. He shared his wish that, “each medic walks away from this experience knowing that their sacrifice is recognized, their service is appreciated, and that they are not carrying this responsibility alone. This was only the beginning, we want to remind MDA medics and volunteers that we stand with them and are deeply grateful for their service.”
MDA Director-General Eli Bin shared why this project means so much, especially in the wake of Operation Roaring Lion which saw daily missile attacks across Israel, “MDA teams operate 24 hours a day, often under fire, in order to save lives, and they deserve great appreciation. I thank the generous donors, Cross River and Centurion Anesthesia, for their willingness to work in cooperation with MDA and dedicate this special project for the benefit of tens of thousands of MDA volunteers and staff who serve the citizens of the State of Israel.”
The first wave of this project was met with excitement, appreciation, and gratitude, but as Gilles reminds us, it is we who are honored by the chance to say thank you, “Our priority is to directly support MDA volunteers, strengthen morale, and ensure the recognition reaches the ones who deserve it the most. Anything we can do to uplift these heroes and offer encouragement and recognition is something we consider a privilege.”
