The children's book "The Firefighters' Coin Bank" allowed raising 2,620 euros to support the firefighting corps of the district of Évora. The amount was symbolically delivered to the Firefighters Federation of the district of Évora at a ceremony that took place on September 11th at the station of the Volunteer Firefighters of Évora. Present were the president of the Federation, Paulo Alves, and the author of the book, Fátima Lourenço. The funds will subsequently be distributed among the firefighting associations of the municipalities that joined the initiative, with each corporation being responsible for deciding where to allocate the money for the acquisition of necessary equipment.
Author Fátima Lourenço explained that the idea was born during the fire season, when she heard repeated appeals from firefighters regarding the lack of support. The writer initially sought to test the idea with the firefighters of the district of Setúbal, but ended up making contact with the League of Portuguese Firefighters, who advised her to work with the district federations. The book is interactive, combining a children's story with drawing and painting activities, and includes a component that allows the child to create their own "firefighters' coin bank" to collect coins and later make a donation.
The book had a price of 5.99 euros, with two euros from each copy purchased by the municipalities reverting to the Firefighters Federation. In total, 1,310 books were purchased, resulting in the 2,620 euros now raised. Estremoz was the first municipality to join, purchasing books to offer to children, with the initiative also counting on the participation of other municipalities and entities in the region.
The author intends to expand the project to other districts and hopes that more municipalities will join the initiative, pointing to Christmas as a next opportunity for the distribution of books, and believes that broader participation could represent significantly greater help for the firefighting corporations. Paulo Alves highlighted that the current publicity may help bring the project to other municipalities that have not yet joined.
