Loulé and Portimão mark International Volunteer Day

Ephemeris was celebrated this Sunday, December 5th

The municipality of Loulé will promote a moment of interaction with all the municipality's volunteers and will make known a new digital platform. The Portimão municipality paid tribute to a group of associations and people who have distinguished themselves for their community work within the scope of Covid-19. Both initiatives are part of the celebrations of the International Day of Volunteering, which was celebrated on December 5th. 

Loulé will launch the new Local Volunteer Bank Platform, in a meeting with all the municipality volunteers who, during the current calendar year, carried out this activity in the territory. The initiative will take place this Tuesday, December 7th, at 18 pm, in the auditorium of the Secondary School.

The platform «it is a digital tool that will now be available to all and that will benefit the action, both of the entities promoting volunteer work, and of the volunteers themselves», says the Loulé local authority.

This is «an innovative initiative that translates into the promotion of a pool of volunteers and volunteer services, through an interactive digital platform developed from scratch, within the scope of this project», having been developed with the objective of «creating a differentiated instrument of management, monitoring and dissemination'.

This platform will allow the carrying out of programs or small volunteer actions in social economy institutions in the municipality that work with people at risk of social exclusion, in the most varied functions. To pay homage and recognition to all those who have dedicated their time to various causes, the municipality will organize an entertainment program with cultural notes with contemporary dance and music.

«The municipality of Loulé wants to recognize the effort of all those who donate a precious asset, increasingly scarce in our lives: time. Through an absolutely selfless gesture, they have contributed a lot to alleviate social disparities and promote the need to help others», underlines the Mayor, Vítor Aleixo.

The Local Volunteer Bank of the Municipality of Loulé «has allowed the placement of volunteers in areas of greatest need identified by private social solidarity institutions, in order to help them meet the main needs and overcome some obstacles they face in the their daily lives”, concludes the municipality.

In Portimão, the International Day of Volunteering was celebrated this Sunday, December 5th, in the Museum's auditorium, with a tribute to a group of associations and people who have distinguished themselves for their community work within the scope of Covid-19.

During the ceremony, the winners of the third edition of the Municipal Volunteering Award were also announced, which distinguished the projects “SER na Demência” (winner in the collective category) and Jardim Sensorial” (winner in the singular category), awarded with 6.500 euros each.

The jury also decided to award honorable mentions to the candidacies “Therapeutic Horticulture”, by Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Alvor (collective category), and “Doar a Arte”, by Rita Paula Nunes Ricardo (single category).

This award was created in December 2018 to "distinguish projects in the areas of solidarity, health, environment, social economy, education and training, which promote the improvement of the quality of life of children, young people, the elderly, citizens with disabilities or other people in a vulnerable situation”, says the municipality of Portimão.

 

Testimonies of volunteers – Photo: Filipe da Palma | Portimão City Council

 

João Lagartinho, director of the Portimão Group of the Corpo Nacional de Escutas, Manuela Santos, chairman of the board of Cáritas Paroquial de Nª Srª da Conceição – Matriz de Portimão and the young Sara Bruins went on stage to share a little of their experience as volunteers.

Isilda Gomes, mayor of Portimão, during her speech at the ceremony, said that “solidarity and volunteering are essential and irreplaceable, as if we did not have this network of volunteers and associations, we would hardly be able to respond to needs, and not only in these times of pandemic”.

«I feel, therefore, enormous pride in what these people give to others every day, a pride that should be extended to Portimão because it means that we live in a society where solidarity is not just a hollow and beautiful word, but it translates himself in acts», confessed the mayor.

According to the mayor, “what worries me most at the moment is not the people who are already part of the system, but the shamed poverty, those who are feeling unwell, but as they belonged to a middle class, they feel ashamed to address the places where they can supply them with the food, clothing or medicine they need”.

«We must be awake to this problem, which may exist on our side, without us realizing it: I want “zero hunger” in Portimão and when they tell me that people are sick, I need to know who they are because there is no need at this moment. this is verified, since the financial situation of the autarchy, fortunately, makes it possible to supply food and medicine to those who need it».

 

Winners and Honorable Mentions of the Municipal Volunteering Award – Photo: Filipe da Palma | Portimão City Council

 

This ceremony highlighted "the important networking and the integrated response given by various entities and volunteers in support of the local community during the current pandemic", explains the municipality of Portimo.

The ceremony honored Caritas Parish Nossa Senhora da Conceição – Portimão Headquarters, ADRA – Adventist Association for Development, Resources and Assistance, ACRA – Cultural and Recreative Association Alvorense 1st de Dezembro, Flor Amiga Association and GRATO – Grupo de Support for Drug Addicts.

MAPS – Movement and Support to the Aids Problem, Association for Family Planning – Projeto Rio, Portuguese Red Cross – Portimão Delegation, National Scouts Group – Grouping No. 159 – Portimão and National Scouts Body Grouping N.º 685 – Alvor, were other entities that were honored.

Some volunteers were also distinguished in this activity, in a personal capacity, namely Sara Bruins, Miguel Andrade, Marisa Guerreiro, João Sobral, João Gouveia, Catarina Menezes, Tynara Nascente, José Brito, Aleida Monteiro, Sónia Baiona, Diogo Diniz, Custody Entries and Arnaldo Silveira.

For the mobilization of volunteers, on an individual basis, «did much to contribute to Portimão Volunteer Platform, launched about six months ago by the City Council, which in this way provided a meeting point between those who wish to put their free time and skills in favor of community projects and local entities that seek the support of volunteers».

This tool brings together all the institutions promoting volunteer work in Portimão, disseminating their work to potential volunteers, who will thus be able to apply for the grant managed by the competent municipal services.

Photo: Filipe da Palma | Portimão City Council

 



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