Olbia was the first stop on the institutional journey to the Island of the National President of the Italian Red Cross, Rosario MG Valastro , twenty-five years after the last visit of the highest representative of the association; to welcome him, in the parish hall of the Holy Family, the people of the volunteers of the citizens' committee, the representatives of the police force and, for the administration, the councilor for social policies, Simonetta Lai.
Accompanied by the regional President of the CRI, Sergio Piredda, Valastro spent words of praise for the work in the territory , in particular regarding health education for the youngest. "This is a visit that also represents the need for knowledge of the national territory, which as in the case of Olbia has so much potential - the President's comment - expressed both at the time of the pandemic and subsequently, with great attention to young people, schools and health education. Of great importance are the actions towards hundreds of children in difficulty and in helping with work inclusion. This is an indication of a Red Cross that knows how to read the territory - Valastro continued - not only today but also in the future because it has invested in health education, a strategic investment to avoid the vulnerabilities of tomorrow".
The Olbia Committee, which currently has about 220 volunteers, has seen rapid growth after the pandemic . "We have grown especially in terms of emergencies and social issues, carrying out many activities related to helping the neediest people," says Mirko Contu, President of the Olbia Committee. "We recently opened a street unit that has seen us involved in assisting numerous people. Now we are thinking of expanding the solidarity clinic for essential help in healthcare."
Among the projects in the drawer is also the opening of a day center for the elderly; soon the transfer of the new headquarters in the Industrial Zone, in the building that houses the NPI.
"For us and for the territory, the institutional visit of the President, after 25 years - emphasizes Contu - has represented an important symbol and auspicious for the continuation of the activities". The morning continued with a visit to the new headquarters of the Olbia committee and the Emergency Response Unit, in Via Congo. Also at the meeting were councilor Alessandro Fiorentino and Edoardo Oggianu, presidents respectively of the Lions and ConfCommercio, with whom the Red Cross is collaborating in numerous charitable initiatives.