19.10.2007 17:58

XXIX anniversary of the PB de Sant Vicenç de Castellet

Jacint Borràs, director of FC Barcelona and Joan Manuel García Campillo, mayor of Bages, presided the gala dinner to commemorate the XXIX Anniversary of the Penya Barcelonista de Sant Vicenç de Castellet.

It was also attended by Ramon Burniol, delegate of the Bages, Berguedà and la Cerdanya Advisory Council. The Penya de Sant Vicenç de Castellet has more than 1,400 members, making it one of the biggest Barcelona supporters clubs in the country, and this has enabled it to hold numerous activities and projects, mainly involving charity work.

Charity work

One of the most ambitious projects currently being undertaken is that of donating 40 sets of FC Barcelona kit to the Foundation run by Father Ferrer in India. That was why Josep Gomáriz, whose presidency comes to an end in the coming months, announced during the anniversary celebrations that he will be asking the Assembly to allow him to stay on for an extra year in order to oversee the conclusion of this charity project, as he has promised Father Ferrer. In all likelihood, this extension to his presidency will be granted. Once the extra year is over, elections will be called, for which he is unlikely to stand.

Jacint Borràs debuts as a director

In his speech, Gomáriz congratulated Jacint Borràs on his recent appointment to the FC Barcelona board of directors. It was a double congratulation, because Borràs will be in charge of relationships with the supporters clubs, and this is something Gomárix values positively, because “Jacint Borràs is a Barça supporter that has always shown consideration for supporters clubs and will continue to do so”. He asked for an invitation to passed on to the president of FC Barcelona, Joan Laporta, to preside the celebrations of the 30th anniversary.

Jacint Borràs, meanwhile, thanked Gomáriz for his words of praise, and commented on how important he viewed the project to donate 40 Barça kits to Father Ferrer’s Foundation to be. “These things make us different to others” he said. “They form part of the charity programmes that are promoted by the Board of Directors through their collaboration with UNICEF”.

After adding some words dedicated to Claveria, the vice president of the supporters club who died a few years ago, Borràs highlighted the fact that the club, under Joan Laporta’s presidency, is enjoying a period of excellent sports results and a healthy economy, which means “we have left the traditional victimism behind us to move on to a period of satisfaction, and let’s hope this can be maintained over time and that we win everything this season”.

A universal Barça

Jacint Borràs spoke about what it means to represent Barça to all its supporters clubs, and described an incident he experienced in Morocco as an example of the universality of Barça. He said that when he was visiting the North African country he was in the Atlas Mountains and came across a child who he gave a Barça badge to. The boy then ran all around the town, proudly showing the badge to everybody

A great club

The events concluded with the Mayor of Sant Vicenç de Castellet, Joan Manuel García Campillo, praising the club for its social work and its important role in local life in Sant Vicenç de Catellet and assured those present that they will always enjoy the full support of the Council. Jacint Borràs gave him an FC Barcelona book and the Supporters Club presented him with a silver insignia of the club.