Villa Toblini Retirement Home Inaugurated After Rapid Renovation
A simple but touching ceremony. On Saturday afternoon, the new retirement home Villa Toblini was officially inaugurated, having been completely renovated in record time.
Twenty months to deliver to the local community, but above all to the fifty-three elderly residents, almost all of whom are non-self-sufficient, a cutting-edge facility compliant with national standards.
The speed of the construction, along with the attention to detail in the realization of the building in Piazza Bocchera, was repeatedly mentioned during speeches and greetings delivered by numerous local, provincial, and regional authorities gathered to share an important moment for Malcesine, its people, and its elderly residents.
Speeches and Thanks
“A great job has been done,” began Angelo Fiorin, Vice President of the Regional Council. “I can say this because I remember well what Villa was like before the renovation began.”
It was then the turn of the retirement home’s president, Michele Benamati, who, after a brief historical overview, thanked public and private entities, as well as local associations that contributed in various ways to the improvement of Toblini, which until 1978 was a hospital.
Especially meaningful were the memories of Pietro Tomei, family doctor and head physician of the then hospital, and Professor Giorgio Zanotto.
The small chapel of the retirement home was dedicated to the former president of Banca Popolare di Verona. Present at the ceremony were also the widow of the late Zanotto and Dr. Tomei.
Among the elderly, the very young provincial councilor Davide Bendinelli, Carlo Salvetat from Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio, vice president of Banca Popolare Alberto Bauli, the mayor of Malcesine Giuseppe Lombardi, and don Nicola Azzali, former parish priest of the lakeside center, were mingling.
President Michele Benamati also took the opportunity to sincerely thank the local women’s volunteer group, “which donated the twenty-eight televisions placed in the rooms,” as well as the generosity of Domenica Guarnati (who donated 48 million euros) and Elisabetta Scala, who recently passed away, leaving 15 million euros to Toblini.
On behalf of the guests’ families, Alessandro Santagostino spoke. He highlighted the merits of the mayor, the Board of Directors, and the management of the care home, and did not forget to acknowledge the silent but invaluable work of the staff and volunteers who provide much-appreciated help and comfort to the elderly.
