News
The people’s paper ISSUE NO. 1852
31 Dec 2020 - 6 Jan 2021
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JODIE ESQUER recently con tacted the Euro Weekly News to tell us about her very long journey of 500,000 steps. “I decided to do it for Turre Town Hall’s Food Bank so that every child had a present for Christmas,” Jodie said. “I realised that a lot of peo ple were really suffering since the pandemic. I have wit nessed some very heartbreak ing situations and wanted to do something about it,” she explained. The idea of walking 500,000 sponsored steps came from a friend in Ireland who did the same for prostate cancer vic tims, prompting Jodie to em bark on her own journey.
“I distributed collection tins in many Turre businesses and set up a Go Fund Me page. Then I began my 500,000 steps, some days walking for five or six hours,” Jodie said. “Little did I know that the community, my friends and my family would come togeth er as they did. People regular ly handed me donations, peo ple I didn’t even know, who wanted to help me make a dif ference and ensure that Turre children had toys at Christ mas.” Jodie went on to say that donations came in from far and wide, including Australia. By December 2 she had raised €1,500 together with another
Photo credit: Jodie Esquer
JODIE STEPS OUT
500,000 STEPS: Jodie raising funds to provide toys for needy Turre children.
A long-established tradition MOJACAR’S Nativity Scene in the Plaza del Parterre is open each day until the Christmas holidays end on January 6. Although so many events have been cancelled due to the pan demic, this has not affected one of the town’s longestestablished traditions, said Culture councillor Raquel Belmonte de Haro. The figures were donated by Manuel Navio, owner of Restu rante La Capilla where for many years they were on display with
other works of art. He acquired them in Puente Tocino (Murcia) where they were made by one of the region’s pres tigious artists specialising in mak
ing Nativity Scene figures. With Mojacar as a background, the tableau’s scenery created by pupils studying art at the Rey Al abez high school reproduces
many of the town’s bestknown buildings and streets in the Old Quarter, including the Torreon tower, the Fuente and the parish church.
€100 that had been put in her hand, as well as more funds still coming in. “So with more money than I’d ever expected to raise and toy donations, I had enough to buy every child whose family is assisted by the Food Bank not just a toy, but sweets and stocking fillers too.” Each family also received a €10 voucher for either meat or fish at Turre’s Vega super market. The children received the toys on December 23 with Santa Claus, Mrs Claus and the Elf also present to make it a truly magical moment. “But what was most magi cal was the look on the chil
dren’s faces when they re ceived their gift bags,” Jodie declared. “I would like to thank my mum and dad, Eileen McGill, Ros Daffurn and everybody else who did so much to help and encourage me,” she added. “Together we did this and I’m so proud of our great achievement.”
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