In Creuse, a village organizes a collection for its twin town victim of floods in Spain

Your blankets, shovels and boots can be used. The village of Gouzon organizes a collection for its twin town, Alcàntera de Xúquer, in the Valencia region of Spainvictim of the floods at the end of October, which left 223 dead.

Some donations are already piling up at Gouzon town hall. From this Monday until December 1st, two collections are organized. The twinning committee invites provide cleaning equipment (gloves, shovels, brooms, product, etc.), non-perishable foods, diapers and baby food. The Municipal Youth Council has also mobilized, and is offering everyone a “Christmas box”. The principle is simple: store a sweet word, treats, a warm outfit, a hygiene product and a toy in a shoebox.

Everything will be sent at the beginning of December. Luckily, Alcàntera did not suffer as much from flooding as other towns further north. The equipment will be used by the population, and to help affected neighboring communities, some of which are still flooded with mud. “Many stores have been devastated, supplies are complicated. Some stores are starting to reopen, but by the time everything gets back in place, it won't be operational right away.” explains Valérie Lafont, president of the twinning committee.

“A second family”

The two municipalities have been twinned since 1991, and are similar. Alcàntera de Xúquer has just over 1,300 inhabitants, and lives on market gardening, oranges and persimmons. The twinning is active, with trips organized in turn in France and Spain during the village festival. Strong friendships were born, to the point that the twinning president speaks of a “second family”. Providing support therefore goes without saying in Gouzon, a beautiful illustration of the spirit of these twinnings, designed at the time of European construction to encourage fraternity between peoples.

You can drop off your donations at Gouzon town hall, the Carrefour market, the newsagents, the leisure centers of Gouzon, Chambon and Jarnages, or the Parsac college. A collection day will also be organized on November 24 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Gouzon town hall.