Christmas Yearly Fund Raiser

For several years, Rotarian Anne Marie Bianchi has run this project entirely of her own making, triggered by the Covid pandemic, the wish for genuine home-baked goods when Christmas came round, and the spike in families facing financial difficulties who needed assistance. A dear old friend who is a super home baker has been making mince pies from scratch for many years, so they couldn’t be more genuine and delicious. Likewise, Anne Marie has made panforte every year at Christmas for family and friends. The two goodies were combined and offered to club members, their families, friends and colleagues.

What began as a simple gesture of goodwill has grown into one of Rotary La Valette’s most cherished annual traditions. For AnneMarie, this initiative is truly a labour of love: it costs her many long days and nights and sees her begin preparations as early as October, sourcing ingredients and packaging materials, marketing, collecting orders, organising the production schedule, collecting mince pies and packaging the lot, as well as baking the panforte. Club members are called upon to reach out to their contacts to secure discounted raw-material prices and to spread the word and encourage their contacts to place orders.

These excellent homemade Christmas sweets have gained popularity year after year, not only for their exceptional quality but also for the purpose they serve – supporting families in need. While many Rotarians and friends look forward to these Christmas goodies for their own tables or as gifts, the bulk are now ordered by businesses to gift their staff or clients, as they are carefully packaged and carry an added meaning as Christmas gifts.

The active participation of club members and friends significantly increases the number of Christmas sweets offered at our stands by volunteers in different localities. This year, we had a stand at Balluta Church for two weekends where Club members engaged warmly with parishioners and passers-by. Rotary’s spirit of service was also evident at San Lawrenz parish church in Birgu, where the club members and friends’ enthusiasm and commitment were met with strong community support. The Club also proudly participated in the Swieqi Local Council Christmas fair, ensuring Rotary La Valette’s presence at this well-attended event. As in past years, there was a healthy request from The Marsa Sports Club tennis players, and these goodies were also available from a well-known local Gourmet Organic food shop. The Club is also so grateful for the donation of ingredients we received this year, which enabled us to lower our costs and ensure donations for the mince pies and available for families in need reached a record high.

This broadening of impact reflects the Club’s ongoing commitment to addressing real needs within the community.

There is always a special sense of camaraderie when small groups of Rotarians stand together outside church parvises or at Christmas fairs, flying the Rotary flag and explaining the mission of our international organisation. Our mince pies and panforte are more than festive treats – they are Christmas gifts with a purpose, bearing the Rotary emblem and delivered to thousands of appreciative recipients of these little sweet packages.