When forty athletes took to the court for the volleyball marathon last weekend the heat was the last thing on their mind.
The BOV Volleyball Marathon in aid of Id-Dar tal-Providenza happened last weekend.
For 53 hours the athletes played non stop volleyball.
Physical preparations and training for the event started in the beginning of June.
70 athletes had applied to be participating and following the trials the final 40 were chosen.
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On the 18th July the marathon was inaugurated by the President of Malta and the 53 hour clock started counting down.
What happened next was an incredible show of solidarity.
Because what the general public didn’t know was that the athletes and their coaches were not only training for the volleyball marathon.
They had also been working hard to collect donations for Id-Dar tal-Providenza.
The residence which provides a family environment and is home to over 115 persons with disability depends heavily on donations in order to cover the €7m it needs annually to operate.
During the marathon the players and coaches presented a €92K donation, more than quadrupling last year’s contribution of €20,000!
This sum was collected thanks to sponsorships by local businesses who displayed their branding on the teams’ kits and court-side banners.
And then those following the volleyball marathon responded with very generous donations too.
By the end of the 53 hour marathon the sum collected was of €632,153 in aid of Id-Dar tal-Providenza!
This year the BOV Volleyball marathon also saw a number of firsts.
For the first time ever a volleyball match between local MPs was organised a week before.
This gave the opportunity to MPs to try their hand at the sport.
The MPs loved the opportunity and most of them joined at some point during the marathon weekend to cheer on the athletes.
A Fun Run was also organised on Sunday morning.
This gave the opportunity to the public to take on an active roll and burn some calories.
Sunday morning also saw a visit by the Archbishop of Malta who celebrated mass at the home’s chapel.
The Archbishop then had breakfast with some of the athletes.
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The Food court at the event some of Malta’s biggest brands serve delicious food and drinks.
Eeetwell, il-Forn ta’ l-Għawdxi, Frullado and Jacob’s Brew made sure appetites were satisfied in the food court area.
One of the highlight’s of this year’s marathon was also the tribute to Frankie Bonello on all of this year’s kits.
Frankie was a resident of the home and a regular fixture of the marathon who sadly passed away earlier this year.
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The marathon sees hundreds of volunteers and Id-Dar tal-Providenza staff come together.
And by the end of the weekend the mood was very festive!
At the end of the event Fr. Martin, the director of Id-Dar tal-Providenza, thanked all those who donated and all sponsors, including Vibe FM, who help make the event possible.
The funds collected will go towards helping the home continue to give its residents the best possible quality of life.
Because the volleyball marathon is not just about raising funds.
But also about sending a message of solidarity towards people with disabilities.
To the athletes and volunteers – well done.
To all those who donated and helped make the event an overwhelming success – thank you!
