“The Avo of Piacenza does not stop. A motto that we coined during Covid and that takes on even greater meaning after this award established by Corrado Sforza Fogliani, a recognition that I am honored to receive on behalf of all those who are here today and those who have been part of it since 1990, the year of our foundation”. Anna Boccellari, president of the Association of Hospital Volunteers of Piacenza, declared herself “excited” to have been awarded the “Santa Maria del Monte Solidarity for Life Award”, promoted by the Banca di Piacenza, now in its thirty-fourth edition and traditionally presented on the last Sunday of June during a well-attended ceremony in the evocative setting of the small Marian sanctuary. “A special thank you – continued the president – goes to the Piasinteina Family represented here by Danilo Anelli: as has already been underlined, it is very nice that the recommendation to the commission for this award came from another association. After the terrible period of the pandemic – where we gave a smile, with our eyes because we were wearing masks, to all the sick and scared people – we want to be even more helpful to the fragile people and for us being able to return to the ward was like starting life again. Faithful to the motto mentioned above, we have activated collaborations with a disabled center in San Nicolò and with the Associazione La Ricerca for the meal and medicine delivery service”.
This is the motivation for the Award read by the volunteer inspector of the Red Cross Giuliana Ceriati: “The Association, thanks to over one hundred volunteers, offers a support service to the sick hospitalized in the hospital facilities of Piacenza and the province and to the elderly guests of nursing homes – as well as their families – giving human warmth, listening, company, thus alleviating the suffering and loneliness of people in difficulty. The contribution of the Association during the Covid emergency was precious, through home delivery of medicines and reception service at vaccination centers”.
The prefect Paolo Ponta, who presented the recognition, explained the reasons for the choice made by the Award judging commission, of which he is president: «The Hospital Volunteers are an example of the principle of subsidiarity; they do not replace but support the health service to take care of fragile people with closeness, tenderness and compassion. And they had so much courage to offer their help in the terrible moment of the pandemic, which hit Piacenza particularly violently. Your volunteering – added the prefect – has something heroic. It is therefore an absolutely deserved award and I am proud to chair the commission that awarded it. We deliver it to this wonderful place and congratulations to the Bank of Piacenza for having restored it. You are a hard-working province and I immediately felt welcomed, like here at Monte.”
Franco Albertini, mayor of the municipality of Alta Val Tidone (also represented by councilor Giovanni Dotti, the group leader Carlo Fontana and the delegated councilor Alessandro Buroni) remembered «the one who strongly wanted and supported this celebration of life over the years, Corrado Sforza Fogliani, the person who more than any other distinguished himself with intelligence, commitment, selective ability for the rebirth of this place sacred to God and man». The mayor then moved on to thank: the Banca di Piacenza and its president Dr. Nenna, the bishop emeritus Monsignor Gianni Ambrosio, the prefect, the political, military, civil authorities, fellow mayors and their representatives, the priests, the Campremoldo Choir “Voci dal mondo”, the municipal police, the Pro loco of Strà-Trevozzo with its president Luca Cassi (the association that set up the popular country buffet), the Friends of the Mountain and the Tidone-Tidoncello Civil Protection Volunteers Group. “The message that comes from the mountain today – continued Mayor Albertini – is the value we must give to helping people who are suffering.”
Giuseppe Nenna, president of Banca di Piacenza (also present were vice president Domenico Capra, general manager Angelo Antoniazzi, deputy general manager Pietro Boselli and other executives), remembered the lawyer Sforza Fogliani (with his wife Maria Antionietta De Micheli present), defined as “a volcano in proposing initiatives; with commitment, we try to continue his work”.
The event (conducted by Lavinia Curtoni of the Bank’s External Relations Office) was attended by the traditional large audience and, in addition to those already mentioned, several other administrators, including the mayor of Pianello Mauro Lodigiani and the municipal councilor of Piacenza Salvatore Scafuto (representing the mayor Katia Tarasconi). Among the authorities, the deputy director of the police commissioner, Marina Festini, the commander of the Carabinieri of Bobbio, lieutenant CS Vittorio Conte, the captain of the Pianello station Davide Simonini. Also present was Prof. Luigi Cavanna, already winner of the award in 2017.
The award was presented at the end of the mass celebrated by the bishop emeritus of the Diocese of Piacenza-Bobbio, mons. Gianni Ambrosio, assisted by Don Davide Maloberti and Don Gianni Quartaroli, parish priest of Trevozzo. Also Msgr. Ambrosio remembered President Sforza Fogliani and mentioned Don Giuseppe Bertuzzi among those who kept the small sanctuary alive. “It is a source of joy to find ourselves here – stated the bishop emeritus – in this church dedicated to the Nativity and to the Blessed Virgin Mary who wants our good and guides us to welcome the gift of light and life”.
