Elva, a fairytale-like village nestled in the mountains of the upper Maira Valley , separated from Cuneo by nearly 50 km of winding curves through snow-capped mountains, has 40 residents and zero cases of infection . Naturally "accustomed" to a certain form of isolation, during these days of extraordinary coronavirus containment measures, they keep in touch via WhatsApp. Bars and restaurants are closed, and the only grocery store, the " butego ," a small shop with a small door and wooden sign, has decided to close its doors following the ministerial decree.
READ ALSO: From Naples' "solidarity basket" to "suspended shopping," initiatives to support those in difficulty
The Mayor does the shopping for the citizens
The food and drink supply problem thus threatened to become a problem for the community, despite the tendency to keep food and drink at home for several days. The reasons are geographical: the nearest baker, if the grocery store is closed, is 30 km from Elva, and these days it's best not to travel en masse to search for supplies. Thus, the mayor, Mario Fulcheri, a 66-year-old antiques dealer with an artisan business in Cuneo, decided to take care of the shopping for the entire community. Just like a home grocery delivery driver: residents write a list of what they need, he buys for everyone, and then distributes. It's best to avoid mass travel to limit the risk of contagion. The mayor's phone number is available to everyone; anyone can call him to request food or other essential items. The mayor's laudable initiative was also unanimously applauded by the city council, which in Elva is a surrogate, as is the municipal council, made up of a mayor, deputy mayor, and a councilor. Despite the coronavirus emergency and the rush to stock up on food, residents have not yet requested the mayor-cum-deliveryman's intervention. As minority councilor Laura Lacopo explained in an interview with Corriere della Sera , many have large quantities of food at home, which they even store in two freezers.
READ MORE: Coronavirus: How to avoid infection when leaving home. Five tips.
CORONAVIRUS SOLIDARITY INITIATIVES
But the country's solidarity in difficult times is astonishing, and initiatives like those of the mayor of Elva are spreading like wildfire, starting from institutions, shop owners, and even ordinary citizens. Young people, boys and girls, like the protagonists of a simple and affectionate gesture that has gone viral on social media in these difficult times: in Turin, the "girls on the fourth floor" offered to do the shopping for the elderly in their building or anyone unable to go out. A few days ago, in a first for a building in Rome, some residents of an apartment on Via San Donato left their cell phone numbers to offer, free of charge, to do the shopping for those unable to do so. A commendable gesture that has attracted widespread interest, with likes, shares, and "imitations."
The real town, the one confined to its homes by a measure as difficult as it is necessary, is also the one that, in Castronno, a small town in the province of Varese, is delivering shoes and slippers to the homes of elderly people forced to stay at home. They don't seem like "essential goods" like medicines, and they certainly don't have the same hectic schedule as pharmacies, but they are the kind of items you don't think about until you need them. On a psychological level too, the initiative of Marco Lazzarotto , owner of the family-run shop of the same name, is important: he has wholeheartedly joined the list of shops and stores offering home deliveries during this period, regardless of the number of phone calls. Reached by a reporter from Varese News , Lazzarotto explained his project: "We'll deliver slippers, slippers, and slippers for rehabilitation. We thought there might be elderly people who need to go to the hospital or simply need to replace their broken slippers, so we're here. They call us, and we'll deliver them to their homes."
Just like the Venturuzzo bakery , which takes phone orders every morning and then makes deliveries throughout the day. For those who produce fresh food, work has tripled in the time of coronavirus. But, despite this, solidarity doesn't end; on the contrary, it multiplies.
(Featured image from Corriere.it //Photocredits: Corriere.it )
STORIES OF SOLIDARITY:
- In Rome, there's a hotel that's supportive and inclusive. It's the 'Hotel Etico,' with an extraordinary staff.
- Free Market: the free and fair trade market of the Xena association, dedicated to reuse and solidarity.
- African Style Sartoria: in Palermo, needle, thread, and fabric combine hospitality and solidarity. Full of color.
- The Greek dentist in Genoa who treats patients for free. And in whose office no one is a foreigner.
- A solidarity garage is born in Brianza, a car repair shop that offers work and integration.
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