This year, the Dun Mikiel Azzopardi Award went to Gordon Hewitt, a volunteer at Dar tal-Providenza, and to all Dar tal-Providenza employees as a sign of gratitude and recognition for their dedication and extraordinary work done during the past hard months of the Covid-19 pandemic to keep the residents and their colleagues safe from the virus.
In 1989 Gordon had to take early retirement to look after his mother Sylvia who was seriously ill. After she died, Gordon got married to Angie Aronica in 1994 and in the year 2000 they moved to Malta and settled in the village Żebbuġ. Once settled in, Gordon and Angie started volunteering at Dar tal-Providenza that they used to refer to as “our 2nd Home” They used to attend five days a week and used to refer to it as “the happiest place in Malta, where everyone smiles.” Sadly, Angie, died of a tender age, however Gordon volunteered on at the Home working closely with residents with a persistent commitment until his health permitted.
Most of Mr Hewitt’s daily work involved taking out residents around the gardens of Dar tal-Providenza and was very active in various activities organized for residents both inside as well as outside the Siġġiewi Home. We especially mention his involvement in drama and other main activities throughout the year. The last play he took part in with the residents was “Il-Presepju tan-Nannu” that took place at the Catholic Institute in Floriana a year ago. Mr Hewitt was also the one who suggested the name of St. Isidore for the Agricultural Centre at Dar tal-Providenza in Siġġiewi where during the week residents preserved aromatic herbs which were then sold to the general public. Every year, he saw to it that a mass is celebrated in the Home’s chapel on the occasion of the feast of St. Isidore, the patron saint of farmers, when residents who worked at the Centre were invited and participated.
Gordon says that the best gift you can give to anyone is to give your time to him or her. This is exactly what Gordon used to do with the residents of Dar tal-Providenza until a few months ago when his health did not permit him to. He built a nice rapport of a sincere friendship with a lot of persons with disability who will surely treasure it throughout their lives. Gordon also used to volunteer his time with the refugees at the Laboratorju tal-Paċi in Ħal Far.
For all the Dar tal-Providenza employees, the year 2020 was neither normal nor easy but rather a year full of great challenges brought about by the pandemic. Who would have thought that the year that started with the Festa ta’ Ġenerożità on January 1st would turn into a year of such a destructive virus? This was really a year of great challenges but also a year that showed the big heart, determination, dedication, creativity, and hard work at the Home. These were, are, and will remain the Dar tal-Providenza frontliners and we are all grateful to them.
The Dar tal-Providenza employees, that total just under 300, include administration staff, support workers, domestic staff, personnel in security and transport, maintenance, laundry, seamstressing, Ability Promoters, stores and the professionists. These workers are employed at Villa Monsinjur Gonzi, Villa Papa Giovanni and Villa Papa Luciani in Siġġiewi as well as in homes in the communities of Siġġiewi, Żurrieq, Qawra and Birkirkara.
The Dun Mikiel Azzopardi Award, that was launched in 1995, recognises the work done by individuals as well as groups in helping out persons with disability as well as shows appreciation towards those that provide voluntary support to the work done at Dar tal-Providenza.