Record Strina collection still growing

President Guido de Marco yesterday heaped praise on the organisers of the charity extravaganza L-Istrina, as money continued to trickle in, three days after a record Lm882,420 was collected last Saturday.

The figure at noon yesterday stood at Lm884,175, with proceeds expected to shoot up following a number of auctions expected to be held over the coming days.

Statistics given at a news conference at the Palace yesterday were impressive: a total of 84,908 phone calls pledging a Lm5 donation were made during the programme; 24,500 calls for Lm10; and over Lm212,000 collected from companies and other donations.

This translates into 166 phone calls, or Lm1,300, for each minute of the programme.

Prof. de Marco paid tribute to the services offered by the charities which were benefiting from L-Istrina.

Proceeds were directed towards the Malta Community Chest Fund, which received 50 per cent of the donations; Razzett tal-Hbiberija got 20 per cent; another 20 per cent went to the Life Cycle for the renal unit; while Moviment Missjunarju Gesu fil-Proxxmu and the Jesuits Refugee Service got five per cent each.

"It's an incredible feat. L-Istrina united the island irrespective of any differences. It has no political allegiance to anybody. L-Istrina belongs to all of us," Prof. de Marco enthused.

He said there were still several organisations and individuals which required the generosity of the public to assist them throughout the year.

"Charity begins at home, but it shouldn't stop at home," he said.

Prof. de Marco thanked Peppi Azzopardi and his team for their energy, as well as all the volunteers.

Mr Azzopardi in turn thanked all the players involved in organising L-Istrina, especially the media, which helped to publicise the event.

He urged the public to realise the sterling work carried out by the MCCF throughout the year.

Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani Grima, who presides over a selection committee which decides which organisations should benefit from the money, said the committee would soon start looking at which organisations could benefit in next year's edition.