An event full of emotions!
From 26 to 29 August, ELA families gathered at Center Parcs in Sologne for the 28th year. This stay brought together 130 families, i.e. 750 people, for a weekend of exchanges, respite and shared pleasure.
A special year, ELA celebrates its 30th anniversary!
On the occasion of the association’s 30th anniversary, the park, all decorated in ELA’s colours, brought together its customers and teams as well as ELA families in a great solidarity challenge with the “Mets tes baskets” application. The aim was to count as many steps as possible all together to support the fight against leukodystrophies. At the end of the weekend, 7,198,574 steps were taken by the 390 participants in the challenge!
We would like to thank David Vincent, director of the park, who, accompanied by his teams, presented a cheque for €2000 to ELA.
A long-awaited reunion
It was on Friday afternoon, under a sunny sky, that the families, impatient and happy to meet again, were welcomed by the ELA and Center Parcs teams.
In the evening, all were invited to the Experience Factory to share a dinner in a friendly atmosphere. During dessert, Crystelle Cottart, President of ELA, and Guy Alba, President of ELA International, took the floor to remind us of the importance of sticking together to beat leukodystrophies. The special “30 years of ELA” birthday cake was eaten to the tune of “Happy Birthday ELA” sung by our sponsors.
On Saturday morning, the welcome meeting, led by Crystelle Cottart and Nadia Cerise, was an opportunity to remind people of the importance of this respite stay and to present the weekend’s activities and new features. The sponsors present were able to tell the families how happy they were to be at their side during this stay. The families were then able to take part in the traditional group photo to immortalise this 28th edition.
Everyone then headed to the Experience Factory to share the Saturday lunch followed by the mini-disco in the presence of ELA’s sponsors. Dancing, singing, laughing, smiling, applauding… the families took full advantage of this festive and joyful occasion.
Workshops for everyone
From Saturday to Sunday evening, there were activities for everyone: children, adults, people with disabilities, parents, brothers and sisters, carers and companions.
Our sponsors led and participated in the weekend workshops with great kindness and generosity. Dancing, mini disco, storytelling, fencing, the musical break, the pony, the parasports workshop… were the occasion of magical encounters.
Heartfelt thanks to David Bàn, comedian and singer, Marie-Hélène Lentini and Alexandra Naoum, comediennes, Béatrice Hess, multi-medalist para swimmer and Julien Mertine, Olympic champion in the foil fencing team competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
The ELA team, the members of the Board of Directors and our precious volunteers led activities such as plantar reflexology, the photo studio, the shop, Nordic walking, parasports workshops, “wheelchair” dancing.
Many thanks to Chantal Dequen, administrator, André Dobosz, photographer, Frédéric Lukaszka, ELA delegate-representative, Kevin Patinaud, of the ELA family, Tiphaine Prin, adapted sports educator and Pamela Bouthillier, dancer.
The events finished on Monday, after a stay that allowed to make unforgettable memories.
