It's the return of the Telethon from this Friday, November 29, 2024. This year, four new cities are taking up the torch to become ambassadors for the 2024 Telethon. The municipalities of Avesnes-sur-Helpe (Hauts-de-France), Quimper (Brittany), Bonifacio (Corsica) and Firminy, here in the Loire, will be featured on the TV channels. France Televisions.
The program for the 2024 edition is dense, and it officially begins this Friday at 5 p.m. with the solidarity village. At 6:30 p.m., there will be the traditional Sainte-Barbe parade. 150 people will pay tribute to the working and mining history of the city, before the lights highlight the Saint-Firmin church. The departure will be from the Firefighters Museum, chaired by Commander André Despréaux. “The parade will be made up of the departmental Flag Guard. There will also be firefighters in Napoleonic outfits. The Sainte-Barbe will be carried by four firefighters.“The Appelous will also gather around a large banquet based on grâpée from 6:45 p.m. on the Place du Breuil.
Julien Frenoy
Firminy transforms into Intervilles
Once the night has settled in, Firminy will switch to Intercity mode this Friday evening. Faced with three other telethon ambassador municipalities, there will be three challenges to be carried out remotely. Starting with a jousting event. It is the Firminy Vallée de l'Ondaine Handball club which will participate, Jean-Louis Pauze is the president. “A person will be in a miner's dumpster and people will be pushing them. The person who will be in the dumpster will have the mission, with a kind of spear, to knock down as many tennis balls as possible in about a minute..”
Around 11 p.m., it will be the turn of Unieux Firminy Ondaine Rugby to put its strength to use, says President Michaël Kayabalian. “We are going to push a Stas bus and it will be the women who will push it. The boys will be inside the bus which already weighs 11 tons. You will have to push it 40-50 meters.“
3,637 people for the Grande Mêlée
The highlight of this Telethon in the Loire will be Saturday around 12 p.m. with the Grande Mêlée Festive, live on France Télévisions and from the Le Corbusier stadium in Firminy. “You have to collect a ticket for the count and then we will make two long lines face to face. We won't have a real scrum. There is no need to come in shorts or tracksuits and everyone is welcome.“The goal is to bring together 3,637 people, which would be a world record. 36-37 is also the number to make a donation to the Telethon.
Fire truck tours
The firefighters museum will participate with the Firminy firefighters in the Telethon explains Commander André Despréaux. “At the museum level, we will take all the children, all the parents on truck rides and the amounts that will be collected at that time will be donated for the Telethon. This is the fourth year that we have done so. fact. The last two years, as we had a card payment system, many people pay by card, even if it's only €2. And last year, we donated almost €800 for the Telethon. It's interesting for children because the tour lasts five minutes in fire trucks that have been used. We have a vehicle that is more than 52 years old..”
To contribute to the fight of families and researchers against rare patients, and to increase the Telethon count, events are planned for Friday and Saturday in the city center and around the Le Corbusier stadium. For example, there will be an introduction to the hand-chair. 500 professional and amateur dancers will take part in a charity dance evening with, on Saturday, a culinary competition to highlight foot salad.
36 37, the telephone donation line for the Telethon, opened this Thursday, November 28. By calling this number and going to telethon.fr, you can make a donation and support the fight against rare diseases.
