The May flood
On May 17 the school was hit hard by the waters of the Santerno riverwhich reached the height of 1 meter and 80 centimeters, destroying the entire ground floor, the facilities and the large park. However, from the first days after the flood, great solidarity was triggered: those who shovel the mud, those who send games and furniture for the children, those who organize fundraisers, those who donate sums of all kinds, those who call to provide comfort.
All this allowed the bodies that manage the school – Fondazione Asilo Azzaroli, Solco Ravenna and Progetto Crescita – to immediately have the resources available to rebuild. As long as the school was unusable, the Parish of Villa San Martino hosted the 73 children and their teachers in order to continue the teaching activity.
Renovation work began in the summer of 2023. On November 6, 2023, the children returned to their renovated school. The final, less urgent works will be completed during this year’s summer break.
«2023 was a difficult year, but we made it – comments Caterina Castellari, coordinator of the Azzaroli Nursery School -. We made it above all because we were united and we had so much help and solidarity. From a bad experience like the flood we brought out everything that could be positive, we had many meetings and many new friendships were born.”
The role of the Azzaroli nursery school
L‘Assilo Azzaroli turns 98 this year. For the Municipality of Sant’Agata it is the only nursery school.
«Having reopened the School after the flood is a gift that we also gave to its founder, Giovanna Azzaroli – underlines Don Renzo Tarlazzi, president of the Azzaroli Foundation -. If there hadn’t been such great energy this wouldn’t have been possible. We must be grateful. With everyone’s help we managed to ensure that the Azzaroli nursery school was among the first in the municipality of Sant’Agata sul Santerno to reopen and we made sure that the municipal nursery school could also be hosted here.”
Damage and reconstruction
Damage caused by the flood exceeded 530 thousand euros. Thanks to the funds and the solidarity received, it was possible to proceed quickly with the reconstruction and make some improvements and modernizations. The works concerned in particular: the garden (for a sum of 97 thousand euros); plant engineering (102 thousand euros); the roof (75 thousand euros), which will be renovated in the summer to allow the installation of a photovoltaic system; masonry and sanitation works (95 thousand euros); the furnishings and classrooms (59 thousand euros); the living room (35 thousand euros); the kitchen (31 thousand euros); the offices (15 thousand euros); electronics (21 thousand euros).
«A community without asylum is a community that is missing a fundamental piece – highlights Antonio Buzzi, president of Solco Ravenna -. It was important to save the Azzaroli nursery school because children are the future of the community and they need a safe and stimulating space and environment where they can grow, train and spend moments of joy and serenity. This reconstruction was also an important signal for this city that has been so hard hit, a signal that together we can do it.”
Thanks to the Azzaroli nursery school
The party was organized to say “Thank you” to anyone who has had a thought for the Azzaroli nursery school, a list that exceeds hundreds of people, bodies, associations, foundations and businesses. The School donated souvenirs made by the children to all the people present and on behalf of all the donors they were thanked with the “Madonna dell’Alluvione” created by the Bottega Gatti of Faenza: Fism – Italian Federation of Nursery Schools; Cesvi Foundation; Eurocompany.
Mazzari distilleries; Libertà, the Piacenza newspaper; Rotary Ravenna; Lions Ravenna; Assimochus; Bcc Ravenna, Forlì and Imola; Don Claudiu Gherghel, Parish Priest of Sant’Agata and Villa San Martino; Villa San Martino Foundation; Vises; Cassa di Risparmio and Banca Del Monte di Lugo Foundation; Adei Wizo Association; Elisabetta Pirazzini and Greta Missiroli representing the children’s parents.
Read also: Bagnacavallo, House of Beer. «After the flood, debts of 280 thousand euros and a reimbursement of 1500»
Tags: Devastated flood Azzaroli nursery school celebrates reopening
