Lega del Filo d'Oro :: Initiatives for the Lega del Filo d'Oro

January-December 2005 ME.BER Aid 2005

ME.BER Aid 2005 – a contribution to the Lega del Filo d’Oro

ME.BER Aid has been started up this year and is a project for solidarity involving the ME.BER company, which operates in the medical emergency sector, and its clients. They have decided to dedicate a part of their turnover to social commitments and solidarity. Our association will be the beneficiary of the project in 2005 and will receive a contribution raised in part by the company reducing its advertising costs.

More information on the project can be found on www.meber.it

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A Public Celebration of the Lega del Filo d’Oro’s 40 years

The Great Hall of Osimo Town Council hosted an assembly last 20th December to celebrate the Lega del Filo d’Oro’s anniversary: 40 years of commitment to the assistance and rehabilitation of the deafblind and multisensory impaired. During the ceremony, our chairman Mario Trapanese reminded us of the key moments in the journey which has brought our Association from a small group of volunteers to an institute which has helped more than 2,000 people through the years.

This important achievement was marked by the presentation of the symbol of Osimo from the Town Council – a statue without a head - (the photo shows the moment of presentation) and by the inclusion of the Association logo in the council’s letterhead to underline the close ties between the Lega and the community of Osimo. There were many who spoke of the long road followed in these 40 years, of the difficulties overcome and of the first successes. In particular, tribute was paid to Sabina Santilli in the moving words of Dino Marabini, a key figure in founding and starting the Association. The mayor of S. Benedetto dei Marsi (AQ), a nephew of Sabina’s, brought greetings from his town, which was the first legal site of the institute and Loda Santilli, Sabina’s sister also spoke in tribute. Rossano Bartoli gave the closing address and thanks.

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40th anniversary football match

Morandi with a deafblind boy, A 2-all draw was the result of the 40th anniversary football match held at the Diana stadium in Osimo on 8th December. An afternoon of friendship and entertainment which ended to the great satisfaction of both players and spectators. The match was opened when Andrea Cionna, a blind Olympic participant, handed over the ball. He and his colleagues from Atletica Braccaccini had run from the institute to the stadium. It was a game between the National Singers’ team and the Osimo association and the whole afternoon was sheer entertainment for the spectators and for the players too, who joked on the field and in the stands. An exciting match in which the two teams played every centimetre of the pitch. Among those present were mythical singers like Morandi, Ruggeri, Barbarossa, Belli and new arrivals like Conidi, Patrizi, Nearco. Every one of them eagerly welcomed by their fans. The first to mix in with the public was Gianni Morandi who relaxed with youngsters from ‘Filo d’Oro’ on the edge of the field and then jumped up on the steps for the obligatory photo with his friends from the Osimo association. ‘I want to thank the Lega del Filo d’Oro’, said Morandi, ‘they do important work and we want to be here to demonstrate our affection and support’. The event was an unqualified success. The benches were full and 18 thousand euros were taken at the turnstiles. In addition, a minibus was donated by the sponsor Arval.
‘Happy Birthday’ sung by 2800 people along with the Italian National Singers’ team was a fitting tribute to the 40 candles lit by the Lega del Filo d’Oro.

(In the photo: Morandi on the right with a deafblind boy, At the bottom, the teams on the field).

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The Flavio Cocanari Award

Secretary General of CISL with our president ‘.. a constant, regular commitment, without exaggerations, to making the world manageable –This is the reason why our Association was given the ‘Flavio Cocanari award. ‘Impairment is a challenge to society’, said Savino Pezzotta, Secretary General of CISL who handed over the award at a demonstration held in La Fenice theatre in Osimo on Wednesday 15th December. The award is a sign of recognition for the work done by the Lega del Filo d’Oro and an appreciation of the commitment of all (staff, volunteers, administrators) who work there.

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In celebration of forty years

Picture of Donorcard The Selex group and the Lega del Filo d’Oro celebrated this important anniversary together with a demonstration of solidarity and support for our association.

Selex, one of the top five modern national distribution groups, has sales points all over Italy under the names Super A&O, Famila, Iper Famila, Emisfero, Zerbimark, Pan and Dok. From 1st to 31st October, more than 500 retail sales points in the group were involved in different promotions during a national appeal campaign in favour of our association. From 1st to 20th November too, in the same places ‘Donorcards’ for 2euros were sold to the public to collect more funds. The Selex group’s aim was to buy equipment, aids and transport for the local branches of our association. But this was not all. The Selex group itself gave a direct contribution of 250,000 euros to the Lega del Filo d’Oro. This sum will be used to finish the furnishing and decoration of the classrooms and apartments in the new residential social-health centre in Lesmo.

(picture shows the ‘Donorcard’).

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Tiscali for children

Let’s help the children’ was the name of the campaign undertaken by Tiscali to help children in difficult situations. Many organisations took part, each one of them had a specific project allocated to a particular month of the year. The Lega del Filo d’Oro was among those who took part. It was easy to participate. Users subscribed to the net with Tiscali Internet Gratis or Tiscali Adsl Senza Canone, could contribute, without any increase in their costs, to supporting the different projects. For every minute of internet connection, Tiscali makes a contribution to the project of the month.

September was the month allocated to us and to our association project ‘Let’s put colour into their dreams’. Thanks to this initiative, useful teaching materials have been acquired to help stimulate and reinforce deafblind children’s sensory abilities and communication.

For further information http://social.tiscali.it/infanzia/

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A Lega del Filo d’Oro ‘Special’

‘The Smile Factory – a year later’ was another television event broadcast by Mediafriends to bring the public up to date on the associations which had benefitted from the first edition of ‘The Smile Factory’ the previous October. The programme went out on 8th July and included a special on the Lega del Filo d’Oro which testified to the wonderful support given to our association and to deafblind people and their families by telling the stories of some of the children helped by the Lega del Filo d’Oro.

It was another way to thank all those who have helped us and continue to help us in our efforts for all deafblind children.

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Arbore with Ornella Vanoni and Alessia Fabiani Musical challenge in the name of solidarity

Managers, promoters and freelance musicians were among those doing battle to the sound of music at the second edition of the Rolling Stone World Music Festival in Milan on Tuesday, 6th June.

This event was organised by Il Mondo as a demonstration of solidarity with those who cannot see or hear. Twelve bands rose to the challenge of the evening which was hosted by Alessia Fabiani in favour of our Association. A jury of experts, chaired by Renzo Arbore with Ornella Vanoni, declared Cash Flow Band the winners of the show for their ability to involve the audience in their West Coast inspired selection. Contributions were collected through CartaSi and Vodafone Super Solidarity Messages. All monies collected will be used for the new residential social-health centre in Lesmo.

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The Round Table and the Lega del Filo d’Oro – 40-year celebrations

The Italian Round Table has organised ‘Around You’, a campaign for collecting funds to support humanitarian activities (further information on www.roundtable.it). This year the Italian Round Table decided to help the Lega del Filo d’Oro by organising a Lega ‘Day’ on 17th April with its 70 national clubs. A day to play and to make the public aware of our activities and

to collect funds. The proceeds from the day were officially handed over to our Chairman during the Annual General Meeting in Milan on 5th June. An important occasion on which to celebrate together 40 years of collaboration between the Round Table and the Lega del Filo d’Oro.

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Carrefour at our side once again

As well as participating in our Christmas festivities and in The Smile Factory (Channel 5’s appeal for children in need, which included the Lega del Filo d’Oro among the beneficiaries), Carrefour went even further in supporting our Association. Carrefour and Segafredo gave 1 euro for every product sold with the Segafredo trademark between 24th May and the end of June. Inside the supermarkets in the chain, the appeal was advertised by pictures from the Lega del Filo d’Oro’s last advertising campaign with our friend and supporter Renzo Arbore which were placed near Segafredo products. This was a great way to get our Association known. Information about the institute was available in all the sales outlets and some of our volunteers went to the supermarkets so that they could give further information to interested parties.

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Unicredit support for the Lega del Filo d’Oro

There has been a strong bond of friendship and support between the Lega del Filo d’Oro and Unicredit Bank for some time. This was reinforced by the online appeal carried out by Unicredit in favour of our Association. From 14 May, current account holders with Unicredit Bank who activated their bank services through internet were able to make a donation to the Lega del Filo d’Oro. On UniCredit Bank’s website home page, there was a box especially for the appeal allowing people to access the bank through internet and make a donation. These donations will be used in the new residential social-health centre in Lesmo to provide rooms for physiotherapy and to buy equipment for rehabilitation purposes. UniCredit Bank’s website also includes a section dedicated to our Association which contains information on the appeal and which gives a step by step guide to the project (for further information http://www.unicreditbanca.it/legadelfilodoro).

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“La Buona Fattoria”

"La Buona Fattoria" is a points system in favour of the Lega del Filo d’Oro.
The Cooperlat Group with this initiative is not only giving prizes but also promoting solidarity for the deafblind. Those who collect the points can help "those who can’t see or hear" either by giving their points or by donating the value of the prize they have chosen to our Association. For more informations www.cooperlat.it

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Api for the Lega del Filo d’Oro

50 Api petrol stations are taking part in this initiative to offer support to the Lega del Filo d’Oro’s activities and projects. The managers of the API petrol stations involved have pledged to give 50 cents for every 1000 litres of petrol they sell and to give out information leaflets about our Association to their customers.

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The Smile Factory

The Lega del Filo d’Oro has received 1.300,000 euros as contribution to .financing projects for deafblind children who are the guests of the Osimo centre. This substantial sum was raised thanks to a television event organised by the Mediaset networks and other events held last October to collect funds for children. The money has guaranteed that we have been able to maintain the services we regularly provide and improve them with the aim of making a significant reduction in the time that children and families have to wait when they have asked us for help.

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