They remain unaware of the number and do not know anyone from the Catarroja lottery administration. All they know is that it has been one of the towns severely affected by DANA in Valencia, and they intended to assist its proprietors, self-employed individuals who, a month after the incident, have been unable to open their businesses and, consequently, are not receiving any income.
This initiative was conceived by Angélica Segovia and Rubén Darío Báez, owners of administration number 1 Nuestra Señora de Los Remedios in Buenavista, who decided to sell five tickets, amounting to 50 tenths of a number that will be drawn on Friday. Their son Daniel promoted the idea on Facebook, and the local community quickly rallied behind it. “We didn’t anticipate such a strong response. People didn’t even inquire about the number; they simply purchased it to offer their support,” Angélica explains, adding, “despite having been sold in record time, the phone hasn’t stopped ringing.”
Among the calls they received were from a civil guard and a volunteer aiding in Catarroja. Both expressed their interest in reserving a ticket for themselves when they learnt about the sale. A similar situation occurred with a woman who called on Tuesday, originally from this Valencian town; when she failed to secure a ticket in her local area, she made the same request. “She mentioned that a month later, the situation is dire,” Angélica recounts.
This is the first occasion they have sold solidarity tickets, a concept they are collaborating on with other administrations across the Canary Islands, with whom they formed a WhatsApp group to join forces in supporting Valencia.
The response has been so overwhelming that Rubén has contacted the Alfafar lottery, another town that also endured damage from DANA, which is set to arrive on Wednesday. “People are signing up, but we clarify that only one tenth is sold per family due to the high demand,” Angélica concludes.
