The sun, today, looks like a basketball. It is the one of the MeLa Gioco association, painted in the center of the renovated field in the Brazzelli park in Busto Arsizio, near the Ipc Verri, inaugurated this morning amidst a thousand emotions.
A small, colorful work of art donated to the city, the fruit of the creativity and work of Francesca “Nine in the paint” Cassani and an army of volunteers.
And, above all, of the tenacity of Chiara Lorello, partner of Niccolò Sartoni, who passed away four years ago due to melanoma, to whom the association is dedicated. And, from today, also this basketball court, Niccolò’s passionwho found the strength to face the disease in this sport. After the ribbon cutting, the third edition of the 3vs3 tournament, with the demonstration of baskin.
“Nico, this is for you,” Chiara said, looking up at the sky.
The commitment of one hundred volunteers and Chiara’s message
More than one hundred people have worked in the last nine days to complete the work and paint the field. A project born three years ago, as recalled by Chiara Lorello, president of the MeLa Gioco association, committed – in memory of Niccolò Sartoni, a young teacher of motor sciences and player of Basket Busto Arsizio – to promote sport and medical prevention, promote social inclusion and support the right to education through the assignment of scholarships.
«They were not easy three years, but we never gave up and with determination we transformed an idea into a project, a project into a dream which slowly became the dream of many – explained Chiara -. Along this journey we met wonderful people like Francesca, who created the graphics for this masterpiece, and Luca, who allowed us to create an inclusive pitch for baskin. Today I want to share with you the joy of seeing this dream become reality».
The association has raised 40 thousand euros for this project and, in the last few days, 105 have worked hard to contribute to its realization: friends, families, grandchildren, Niccolò’s students and work colleagues from all over Italy. «What you see is the extraordinary result of the strength of love, friendship and sharing», underlined Chiara, also thanking the sports councilor Maurizio Artusa «for having shown us the way» and Salvatore Scianna of Agesp «because he patiently he has put up with me over these months.”
The thought, as always and even more so today, went to Niccolò: «Everything we do is inspired by him and this is precisely why we want to dedicate this pitch to him. On the tag you will find the phrase “Basketball saved my life”. Nico had always played basketball and he faced every phase of her illness by playing, even when this was not recommended by the doctors. This is why I often argued with him, who obviously didn’t listen to me. In the last, difficult days in hospital she said she continually dreamed of playing and winning in the NBA and that’s when I understood that for him basketball was the key to fighting and defeating the disease. Basketball, sports but in general a passion saves your life. And this is my wish: always find time to cultivate your passions, because within passions you will always find yourself and the strength to react.” Then the message addressed to the sky: «Nico, this is for you».
The councilor’s applause: “You lit the fuse”
In the center of the field there is the association’s logo, a cloud from which a sun emerges that looks like a basketball. Colored rays branch out from this in a zigzag pattern: «I wanted it to transmit energy, vitality, joy. The adjectives that characterized Niccolò», explained the artist and basketball player Francesca “Nine in the paint” Cassani. Specifying that «what really makes this project special are the people who gravitate around the association: I found myself showered with a lot of affection and help from over one hundred volunteers. The project has been going on for three years and Chiaro Lorello is the one who more than anyone has “worked hard” and I’m happy that this day she’s been waiting for has finally arrived.”
Francesca gave her a painting with a drawing of the camp: «She deserves to see it every morning when she wakes up and every evening when she goes to sleep».
Councilor Artusa praised the commitment of these guys: «You have donated this field to the city and now will have to be managed as best as possible. We will ask the Province to open and close the gates at a certain time and to redevelop the area and we as the municipal administration must commit to fixing the pitch nearby. To date nothing has been done, you triggered the fuse and now we have to carry it forward. All the citizens thank you for this.”
Present were the councilor of Olgiate Olona Fabio Longhin and, at Artusa’s invitation, also Silvano Trupia, president of Cuffie Colorate, who met the president of Baskin Busto Fabio Ferrarini: «Networking is fundamental», Artusa remarked.
Then the NBK basketball 3vs3 tournament kicks off. The third, unforgettable edition.
