L-Istrina’s record €2.6m

The nation’s spirit of solidarity shone through for another year yesterday as €2.6 million were collected until midnight during the annual TV fundraising marathon L-Istrina in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund.

Donations kept coming in at a fast pace even after the deadline. The amount surpassed last year’s record sum of €2,332,410.

The numerator on the TV screen rolled relentlessly, adding about €700 a second throughout the afternoon and evening, as money poured in from telephone and cash donations.

The 12th edition of the marathon kicked off at midday with appeals for donations by President George Abela and his wife, by Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Opposition Leader Joseph Muscat. Within two hours, €300,000 were raised and the amount reached over €1 million by 6 p.m. with six hours to go for the deadline.

The event was broadcast on TVM, Net and One stations and no prizes were raffled for donors for the third year running. Prizes were done away with in 2009 following controversies that raged in the past where the organisers were criticised for putting too much emphasis on gifts to attract donations. This year’s message was one of donating money out of solidarity and not pity.

Although touching personal stories were aired throughout the 12-hour fundraiser, one of the hosts, Claudette Pace, stressed that donations would serve to help these people, who were not to be pitied.

Former president Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, who delivered a brief message, told viewers that the best way to be close to God was to help one’s neighbour.

Eddie Fenech Adami, also a former president, said that he never missed attending any of the 12 editions of L-Istrina.

“We Maltese are proud to have this characteristic in our national character – that of solidarity,” said Dr Fenech Adami, who was in hospital last week after fainting during a lunch.

Building on the words of his predecessor, Dr Abela added that solidarity was strengthened because Maltese people had strong family values.

Meanwhile, Verdala Palace, in Buskett – which hosted the fundraiser for the first time – swarmed with people who visited the L-Istrina stages, set up in the palace grounds, and took the opportunity to view theinterior of the castle that was open to the public.

People braved the rain and cold, saying they were driven from their homes by a sense of solidarity with the cause, support towards participating relatives and also to visit the former Grand Master’s hunting lodge.

The palace rooms were brought to life with a late 18th century banquet in its dining room, complete with authentic dishes of the time, including rabbit pie and soup that would have been simmering for hours.

Back stage, some 800 volunteers worked tirelessly to ensure viewers at home were presented with a seamless programme packed with entertainment. Behind the scenes volunteers were carefully coordinating the sections of the programme and controlling the crowd.

Local personalities also chipped in with their time and participated in shows and games to entice people to part with their money in the name of charity. As always, the largest donations were made by banks, with Banif donating €233,030, HSBC €100,000 and BOV €115,000.

The names of the 33 organisations chosen by the Community Chest Fund board as the beneficiaries of this year’s L-Istrina campaign were published earlier this month.