In Épannes, the Épann'Oui animation committee is celebrating its first year of existence. The opportunity for its president, Jorge Pinho, to look back on this past year.
How was the committee born?
Jorge Pinho: “There was an animation committee, Activ Épannes, but it did not survive the confinements. We were all members of the Parents' Association, and we observed, at the beginning of 2023, that the existing associations in the municipality were either focused on children or on the elderly, and that ultimately nothing was happening. was made for active adults. We therefore decided to create our association ourselves. Today it has around a dozen volunteers. »
What is the purpose of the committee?
J. P. : “The primary objective is to create links between Épannais, of all generations, to unite residents around simple but festive events. We try to energize the community through free, regular actions. »
What events have marked this past year?
J. P. : “We focused on simple events, and it was quite natural that the idea of a Gratiferia came to us. This is a free space. It's not barter, it's possible to come with nothing. You can give without selling, take without buying, give new life to objects and offer a human and supportive exchange. It’s an opportunity to get to know each other, once every two months. We also organized a board games evening in February which was a great success. The highlight was also the tavern festival last May, with more than 500 participants. »
Which ones are coming?
J. P. : “We are continuing the Gratiferia, the next one will take place on November 30. The next tavern is scheduled for May 17, Place de l'Église. We would very much like to revive the Épannes lake by organizing our taverns there, but it remains complicated in terms of security. We work on this with the municipality, which accompanies us in our actions and supports us on each of our projects. »
Complete committee program on the association's Facebook page, and on the municipality's website: https://www.epannes.fr
