On Friday, 18th November, Bernard Wilson, secretary of The Masonic Home of Valencia Association, presented a cheque for 2000 Euros to the ‘Make A Smile’ Charity, a very worthy organization for mentally challenged children based at a home in Relleu, just inland from Benidorm. Using existing land and equipment the ‘Make A Smile’ charity has created a self sufficient farm that provides occupational therapy for the 24 youngsters based there. This not only teaches them self reliance but also provides useful knowledge which may help them to get jobs and better integrate into society – always a great aim!
The children grow vegetables, and harvest the olives from more than 1000 olive trees. These are later turned into olive oil and sold. They also produce more than 750 eggs a week from around 220 chickens, all of which are also then sold to the general public.
This donation from The Association will help to buy flannelette sheets and pyjamas for the youngsters to help them keep warm over the winter as, unfortunately, the home cannot afford to keep the heat on all night in their bedrooms. It will also be used to take all the children for a special Christmas treat to enable them to go somewhere like Alicante to at least see the lights.
The picture shows the presentation by Bernard to Barbara and Dennis Carrier, leaders of the recycling team, at the El Cid restaurant who run weekly auctions in Benidoleig who work continuously by taking in unwanted furniture and bric a brac, which they mend, fix up and recycle to be sold at local auctions. Great work, whereby they recycle unwanted goods, preventing them from going into rubbish skips and landfill sites and, at the same time, raise money for a very worthwhile cause.
If you would like to help this very worthwhile cause or seek further information regarding the Masonic Home of Valencia, or even if you are just interested in finding out a little more about Freemasonry, please contact me at the following email address when I will be glad to answer all your questions.
prensa@glpvalencia.com
