The Municipality of Baião and the Parish Council of Gôve celebrated the opening of the new Gôve Community Relations Center last Saturday, October 3rd. This new space integrates into the municipal network, bringing the total number of centers of this nature in the municipality to seven.
The inauguration was attended by users and community members, who had the opportunity to explore the new facilities. The Center is equipped with a functional kitchen, sanitary facilities, versatile furniture, and storage areas, allowing spaces to be adapted for various social gatherings and daily activities.
Following the unveiling of the plaque, parish priest Francisco Pedrosa blessed the facilities. The event featured a musical performance by the Grupo de Concertinas do Lameirão, which enlivened the afternoon. The ceremony concluded with a Verde de Honra (Honorary Toast) shared by all attendees.
The integration of Gôve into the municipal network continues the work already being carried out by the Atelier do Gôve with the local population. Over thirty people currently participate, finding companionship, social interaction, and activities that contribute to active aging, social inclusion, and combating isolation.
The Mayor of Baião, Ana Raquel Azevedo, highlighted the community's engagement and the existing groundwork as key factors for the Center's creation. "More than 30 people find companionship, occupation, friendship, social life, and, above all, a place where they feel part of the community and the parish here. It was precisely because we recognized this dynamic, this commitment, and the work already being done that we understood it was time to take this step," she stated.
With this opening, Gôve joins Viariz, Loivos da Ribeira and Tresouras, Teixeira and Teixeiró, Gestaçô, Míguas, and Valadares in the municipal network of Community Relations Centers. "With the integration of Gôve, we now have seven Community Relations Centers in the municipality," noted Ana Raquel Azevedo.
The President of the Gôve Parish Council, Eduardo Lage, addressed the users, emphasizing the significance of the space: "Here, in this place, pains and sorrows are left at the door. Home problems take a back seat. Age ceases to have a number, and loneliness is overcome with a genuine smile on each person's face." He added that whenever he visits, he leaves "with a full heart and certainly happier."
Under the protocol, the Municipality of Baião covers operational costs, including activities, user transportation, communications, and essential utilities. The Gôve Parish Council is responsible for providing and managing the space, as well as collaborating in activity coordination.
The session also included the presence of the President of the Municipal Assembly of Baião, Armando Fonseca, municipal executive councilors, the Citizen Ombudsman, municipal deputies, presidents of Parish Councils and Unions, and representatives of local institutions and associations.
