The BOV Marigold Volleyball Marathon 2017 for Dar talProvidenza officially launched

The ninth edition of the BOV Volleyball Marathon was officially launched during a press conference at Id-Dar tal-Providenza.

The marathon will kick off tomorrow, 30 June at 6.30pm in the car park of the Home itself, and come to a close at 11.30pm on Sunday, 2 July after 53 hours of continuous play.

The press conference was addressed by Michelle Muscat, chairperson of the Marigold Foundation – BOV in the Community and Father Martin Micallef, director at Id-Dar talProvidenza. Elvia George, chief Finance officer at Bank of Valletta and Emanuel Zammit, chairperson of the Marathon’s Organising Committee were also present.

On her arrival at the Home, Mrs Muscat was given a warm welcome by the residents. She was met by Father Micallef who gave her a short tour of the Home, during which she was also able to visit the aqua therapy pool which was inaugurated in November 2016. Since then, it is being used extensively on a daily basis, as an integral part of the therapy received by the residents.

“Id-Dar tal-Providenza has managed to etch for itself an indelible mark in the heart of each and every one of us. True to the vision of its founder Mgr Mikiel Azzopardi, it continues to provide a family environment for its residents, supporting them in maximising their abilities and participating as fully as possible in society, nowadays even more so through the homes in the community,” said Mrs Muscat.

Speaking about the involvement of the Marigold Foundation, she said that: “It gives us great satisfaction to support this marathon that not only raises funds for an important cause, but also sees hundreds of volunteers rallying their support to ensure that it continues to deliver on its purpose, ensuring our society is as inclusive as possible for these residents.”

Thanking the Foundation and Bank of Valletta for their continuous support, Father Martin explained that: “It is indeed a privilege to be at the helm of a Home that continues to live on the providence of society, just like its founder envisaged more than 50 years ago.”

Speaking about the challenges, Father Martin said that the daily running cost of the Home amounts to €12,000. “Id-Dar talProvidenza is the home for 114 residents of different ages, ranging from five to 85. In addition, we offer respite services to families who take care of persons with disabilities. In addition to the carers who see to the day-to-day needs of our residents, the Home needs to provide occupational therapists and physiotherapists for the residents. The aqua therapy pool, for instance, was a major milestone, that is making an important difference in the lives of our residents. It is not easy to keep this Home running while upgrading our services. However, it is a challenge worth taking, because it translates into a better quality of life for these individuals.”

George said: “At Bank of Vallet- ta, we are delighted to renew our support to this annual fund-raising event through the Foundation. We are confident that the public in general will respond keenly, as it has always done.” She highlighted that the Home is synonymous with the loving and caring family environment as well as the individual attention it provides to the residents. “Thus, at Bank of Valletta, we are pleased to be able to contribute towards sustaining the efforts of this NGO.”

In his intervention, Zammit gave an overview of the preparatory work involved in the build-up towards the volleyball marathon. “Over 200 volunteers will be working round the clock next weekend to ensure that this event is a success.” He invited the members of the public to visit the Home during the marathon weekend to give their support to the players who will be playing nonstop in the sweltering heat. The marathon will be broadcast live on the main TV stations, however, the public is encouraged to visit the Home where there will be live entertainment, food stalls as well as a children’s play area. Contributions can be made by calling on 51702012 for a €15 donation and 51802013 for a €25 donation. A donation of €6.99 can be made by sending a blank SMS to 50618944. BOV Mobile Pay subscribers may also make their donation to the following number 7932 4834.