Letojanni. The "Special Prize - Elio Vittorini"

10 years went by since Germano Chincherini passed away (1937-2000), businessman from Brescia who believed in the potential of the surroundings of Taormina by building 2 hotels, the Hotel Antares-Olimpo in Letojanni and the Hotel Caesar Palace in Giardini Naxos, and by buying the Hotel Ariston in Taormina.
"Nowadays these hotels - from a public editorial - employ 250 families.
He considered himself a lucky guy and his desire has always been to share his success with other people. After his death, Mrs. Helena, Germano Chincherini's wife, founds the Germano Chincherini Foundation onlus and becomes life-chairwoman and completes all works left unfinished. Nowadays the Foundation is fully committed to support the children in need, most of all in those countries where hunger is the most pressing problem.
Nowadays the Foundation is fully committed to support the children in need, most of all in those countries where hunger is the most pressing problem.
In Kenya, in the small village Ukunda, the Foundation built and opened in 2008 its first Family Home, where today live 40 orphans of both parents. .
Oggi la stessa si occupa a 360° del sostegno dei bambini meno fortunati rivolto soprattutto a quelle popolazioni dove ancora oggi si soffre di fame. In Kenya, nel villaggio di Ukunda, la Fondazione ha costruito ed inaugurato nel 2008 la sua prima Casa-Famiglia dove oggi sono ospitati 40 bambini orfani di entrambi i genitori.

For the engagement during the last years, the Kenyan government awarded Mrs. Helena for the best orphanage built in Kenya.

Today the Foundation is building the second village, which will open in January 2011 and where 32 new children will live.

Since 2000 following missions have been accomplished:

• Two wells, as water is for Africa one priority: to drink, for human hygiene and for cattle;
• A Community Hall, where all inhabitants of the small village can meet for religious and social purposes; it is also used as a school dining room
• A Catholic School in the village Ukunda; schooling and introducing to job market; contributions to sport associations; purchase of an ambulance for Letojanni;
• A vehicle for disabled people for Peschiera del Garda and an ambulance for Avis in Bardolino."

That whole activity, together with all benefaction, was considered greatly altruistic, therefore the Foundation deserved the "Honor prize for Social support" entitled to "H.M.Queen Elena di Savoia", which was granted during the XIX International LiteraryArtistic Award "Elio Vittorini", on Thursday, November 11th, in the Aula Magna of the University of Messina.
The prize is an appreciation for those deceased persons committed for social support, a fair reward for Germano Chincherini and for Mrs. Helena who is keeping on working with great will and altruism on the tasks they planned together. The prize will be collected by Antonio Riccobene, in charge of the Foundation in Sicily.