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Maria
Zerafa was awarded the 16th edition
of the 'Premju Ġieh Għajnsielem' for
her contribution
towards the Ghajnsielem community, in particular, her
voluntary work
in organizing activities in order to raise funds for
several projects in the Archparish Church, the Old
Parish Church and the Feast of Our Lady of Loreto.
Maria Zerafa,
known as Maria ta' Serafina, was
born in Ghajnsielem on the 4th of July 1941, daughter of
Paul Zerafa and Mannani nee' Grima.
She received her primary education at the Ghajnsielem
Primary School which back then it was situated in Hamri
Street. Maria comes from a large family of 7 brothers and 8
sisters, one of which is Archpriest Emeritus Mons. Joseph
Zerafa. In her youth, Maria used to work with the wine
company 'Coleiro' which was operating from St Anthony Street
in Ghajnsielem. |
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Her voluntary work spreading over a period of over
thirty years started during Archpriest Mons Espedito
Tabone's tenure and continued under the guidelines of
her brother, Archpriest Mons Joseph Zerafa. Maria
started organizing the popular bingo (tombola) every
Sunday afternoon in the early 1970's with her first
contribution from the fundraising activities going
towards the purchase of a set of fans from the
Archparish Church as per the wish of Archpriest Espedito
Tabone. During the same period, she also founded a group
of volunteers who started to clean the village churches
on a frequent basis. Maria also made several donations
to Ghajnsielem's organizations and the Gozo Sacred Heart
Seminary.
Among the
projects funded by her fundraising activities, we find
the restoration works on the main door and the
replacements of the windows of the old parish church,
two standard flags with embroider,
the purchase of several tapestries (both for daily use
and for the Feast celebrations), two chandeliers from
the set found in the Archparish Church, the purchase of
the present exterior church lighting used during the
feast of Our Lady of Loreto, the choir's piano and the
plastering of the church's belfry.
Maria Zerafa also
made several donations to the Ghaqda Armar and Ghaqda tan-Nar. Her love and dedication
towards the titular feast of Our Lady of Loreto can be
confirmed by the fact that most of the present's street
decoration made by the Ghaqda Armar during the late
1990's and early 2000's was made thanks to her financial
contribution. All this was done with the permission
of the Archpriest.
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On the 11th December 2010,
Maria Zerafa, 69, was awarded the 16th edition of the 'Premju
Gieh Ghajnsielem' by Mayor Francis Cauchi
at the Parish Center Hall
for her life-long
contribution and involvement in the Ghajnsielem community.
In an emotional speech,
Maria
surrounded by her family and friends thanked everyone
for her support but most especially her brother Mons. Joseph
Zerafa. She said that
her
biggest satisfaction when she looks back at her decades of
voluntary work is that her all contribution was always done for
the best interest of parish and the village of Ghajnsielem.
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