A charity party to help a 14-year-old wheelchair-bound girl from Estoi was held at the local Poeta Emiliano da Costa School on October 5. The “2.º Arraial Estoi Solidário” was jointly organised by the Rotary Club Estoi Palace International (RCEPI) and the Agrupamento de Escolas Pinheiro e Rosa.
RCEPI first assisted Margarida when she was nine. She urgently needed callipers to help her walk – “and the local health authority was dragging its heels with this”.
RCEPI with the help of another local charity, ACCA, purchased these for her. Margarida is now 14 and the rare congenital disease she has means that an operation is necessary now otherwise she will spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair.
In a community effort, more than 450 people attended the party. The ticket price of €5 included food and entertainment. Over €6,000 was raised which will support Margarida with her surgery.
The mission of RCEPI has always been to help in the local community and last year the first charity party raised over €5,000 to help a local Estoi university student who was losing her sight due to a congenital eye condition, to complete her university studies and help with her medical treatment.
If you would like to help Margarida, contact the Rotary Club at email moc@rotaryestoipalace.org
Photo from left: RCEPI Youth Committee Chair Vítor Rosão, RCEPI President Bruno Sousa Cosa, Francisco Soares, School Director, Rogério Bacalhau, Mayor of Faro, RCEPI member Dora Luís
