Loreto Galea won the 12th edition of the 'Premju Gieh Ghajnsielem' for his outstanding contribution to the development of the Ghajnsielem community and in particular for his dedication and commitment to the St Joseph Band Club. Mayor Francis Cauchi handed the award during a special Gala Dinner organized by the Ghajnsielem Local Council.

Loreto Galea, better known with his close friends and relatives as 'Iz-Zuz', has been an active member of the St Joseph Band since 1969. Beside his service as a bandsman, Loreto is also an Archivist and a member of the St Joseph Band Commission. He was also a member of the Ghajnsielem F.C. committee for almost 15 years while many people also remember him taking a leading role in the annual street decorations before the Ghaqda Armar was formed. He is currently also a member of the ''Ghajnsielem Ensemble'  Orchestra, directed by Mro Frankie Debono.

Loreto Galea

Loreto Galea twieled f'Ghajnsielem nhar l-14 ta' Dicembru 1955, iben Carmelo Galea, ex-surgent tal-pulizija (illum mejjet) u Gezwalda nee' Cutajar. Huwa l-kbir fost hutu Joe u Aida. Beda l-edukazzjoni tieghu fl-iskola ta' l-'infants' tas-Sorijiet Agostinjani fi Triq Hamri u kompla l-taghlim primarju tieghu fl-Iskola tal-Gvern fl-istess Triq tal-Hamri li wara giet trasferita fl-iskola primarja li nafu llum. Huwa kompla it-taghlim fil-livell sekondarju fl-Istitut Tekniku tar-Rabat Ghawdex fejn lahaq il-livel ordinarju fil-General Certificate of Education. Fi tfulitu, Loreto serva bhala abbati kemm fil-knisja parrokjali kif ukoll fil-kappella ta' Lourdes. Kien ukoll attiv fic-Cirkolo ta' l-Azzjoni Kattolika u serva bhala membru fl-Ghaqda Rikrejattiva u Kulturali t'Ghajnsielem fis-snin 70. Minn mindu kien zghir kont tarah minn ta' l-ewwel biex jaghti dik id-daqqa t'id fl-armar hekk kif tkun riesqa l-festa tar-rahal, xi haga li ghadha tant ghal qalbu sal-gurnata tal-lum. U bir-ragun ghax nannuh Guzeppi Cutajar (r-Ragel) kien maghruf sewwa mar-rahal ghad-dedikazzjoni li kellu ghall-preparamenti tal-festa.

Loreto dahal fix-xena tal-klabb tal-football nistghu nghidu fiz-zmenijiet anqas glorjuzi, jigifieri minn meta l-klabb ma baqax igib l-unuri tal-bidu tas-snin 70. Dam membru attiv fil-klabb glorjuz taghna ghal madwar 15 il-sena li matulhom ta dak kollu li setgha biex jara lill-klabb miexi 'l quddiem.

Mill-att bandistiku, huwa dahal idoqq il-kurunetta fl-1969 u ghadu attiv sal-lum fid-daqq ta' l-istess strument. Huwa bandist ferm ezemplari li rari jonqos xi kuncert jew servizz tal-banda u dis-sena jaghlaq 37 sena jdoqq mal-Banda San Guzepp tar-rahal taghna. Huwa ukoll is-solist tas-sezzjoni tal-kurunetti. Ghal diversi drabi serva bhala membru fil-kumitat ta' l-istess banda u bhalissa qed jokkupa l-kariga ta' arkivista u membru fil-kummissjoni banda. Loreto ghandu ukoll zewgt it-tfal idoqqu l-banda li huma Neville fuq il-Klarinett u Savio fuq is-Saxophone Alto.

Loreto huwa ukoll membru fl-orkestra 'Ghajnsielem Ensemble' immexxija minn Mro Frank Debono li taghti diversi servizzi fil-knisja fil-festi ta' matul is-sena.

Fil-prezent Loreto huwa impjegat bhala Assistant Storekeeper mal-Construction and Maintenance Unit fi hdan il-Ministeru Ghal-Ghawdex. Kien jahdem ukoll bhala 'salesman' ma' Bartoli Ltd u anke hadem ghal xi snin bhala 'self-employed salesman'.

Loreto huwa mizzewweg lil Josephine Galea mill-Fontana u ghandu 4 t'itfal li huma Neville, Maria, Savio u Mikela.

Lil Loreto nifirhulu ghal dan l-unur ferm prestigjuz ta' l-'Ghajnselmiz Tas-Sena' li ghadu kemm inghata u nawgurawlu li jibqa jahdem favur Ghajnsielem, rahal twelidu.