Scandiano and Savignano sul Panaro
SCANDIANO - Umpteenth stop, umpteenth institutional visit, umpteenth lunch. We aren't complaining: at this point we are pleasantly accustoming to this mad rythm. This morning we have waken up fresh and rested in the summer house of the therapeutic community "Betania", a wonderful farmhouse that the community had received when it was semi-dismantled and that has restored and refined very well. The breakfast, early as always, seems rich, after the great dinner of the evening, prepared by the favolous hands of Emilian cooks. The hospitality of the relatives of don Luigi Valentini has been expressed again both with the rich meal and with the enthusiastic embraces of leave. Accompanied by an operator of the centre, we went near Parma at the main base of the community to meet its members and operators. In a rustic, but well refined context, we have been welcomed by don Luigi and his "guys", that were waiting for us in the yard. The atmosphere was calm, despite of the sad experiences of the guests; we breathed the typical air of the way of the personal redemption. So we have formed a circle with the presents and don Luigi has stated our group how his community has been formed. Originally with different aims, the community has changed during the time and has evolved to face the main need of the people: the addiction to the drug. Now the centre, with more than 40 members, welcomes only people who want to take part in it spontaneously. After the usual exchanges of gifts, we have left again, overcome by congratulations, wishes and questions of the"guys" of don Luigi. So, after 50 km, we arrived at Scandiano, where the municipal Administration has offered us the lunch and its whole help for an unexpected problem: the breaking of a drive belt of one of our minibuses. However the way for Campi had to be covered by bicycle. After lunch we have had some relax and afterthat we have left by bicycle to reach Savignano sul Panaro, persuaded that the problem of the minibus will be solved very quickly by our phenomenal driver Mauro.
Niccolò Salvatori
Ettore Vannacci