Updated Saturday at 12.30am
A new record was reached during the 12.5-hour l-Istrina marathon tonight when €3.65 million were raised for the Malta Community Chest Fund.
Last year's record was surpassed at 11.40pm with a donation of €214,000 from this year's Rockestra.
€3,656,151 were collected by the time the event was brought to a close at 12.30am. €3,414,386 were collected last year.
The biggest single contribution to the campaign was the President's Fun Run which raised €335,420.
An emotional President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca thanked the people of Malta, Gozo and the four Comino residents telling them they were “simply the best”.
She also thanked the hundreds of volunteers who made the event possible.
“We were together, we were Team Malta for Love,” she said.
When she opened the fundraiser at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta at 12.15pm, President Coleiro Preca said this was the day when all Maltese and Gozitan did not look at faces but opted to think about those burdened with difficulties.
“This is the day that makes us proud as a people… In spite of all our arguments during the year, we are still capable of thinking of each other. I will appeal to you to donate but I will thank you from my heart for what you are doing,” she said.
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat described the day as one of the best days of the year when the Maltese people united to give generously to help those in need. “Let us show we can be one people,” he said.
Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said the Community Chest Fund needed the people’s help so that it would be able to help others.
“My appeal is that you give your share. Help others today as you may want others to help you in times of need.”
Other appeals at the beginning of the event were also made by former Presidents Ugo Mifsud Bonnici, Eddie Fenech Adami and George Abela.
Malta’s annual Boxing Day charity fundraiser will this year see funds distributed among seven categories, namely childhood and education, work, health, poverty, disability, dialogue and ecology.
A substantial donation of €189,000 was made by Tisjir mill-Qalb, a cookbook including recipes from the President's husband Edgar Preca. The book has been entered in the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards and made it through the first phase.
Other substantial donations were from, among others, Paqpaqli Ghal Istrina (€177,860), BOV (€135,000), Solidarjeta bl-Isport (€55,000), HSBC Malta Foundation (€50,000) + €6,500 from other HSBC activities, the Good Causes Fund (€50,000), Malta Developers Association (€45,000), Burmarrad Commercials (€36,000), the Armed Forces of Malta (€32,530), the Vodafone Foundation (€30,000), MacDonalds (€28,000), GO (€27,000), General Soft Drinks (€26,000) and Farsons (€25,000).
Donations can be made by calling 5150 2026 (€5), 5160 2027 (€10), 5170 2011 (€15), 5180 2012 (€25), or sending an SMS to 5061 9201 (€11.65) or 5061 8918 (€6.99).
Two pledge lines, one for Malta and another for Gozo, are also available this year. The numbers are 2122 0928 (Malta), and 2155 3807 (Gozo).