A gift that fell from the sky. A few days before the end of the year celebrations, it’s Christmas before its time for Espéraza, says France 3 Occitanie. The small town of Aude has indeed just received a sum of 500,000 euros from an anonymous donor. Asked by our colleagues, his mayor still cannot believe it: “It is the great gift, we thank from the bottom of our hearts the people who think of small rural communities”, he explains.
On September 22, the city councilor, Christian Soula, received a letter. A man expresses his attachment to the village, there is “his heart”, and explains that he can no longer “move there”. But the letter is unsigned, and while locals hope to know his identity, there is no indication that he will ever want to do so. After several searches to find out if it was not a hoax, everything seemed to be in order.
>> To read also – The fabulous legacy received by a Breton village
25% of the municipality’s budget
Finally, the sum of 500,000 euros was paid Monday, December 20 to the account of the town hall. After the “hammer blow” linked to the shock of the news, the municipality can only note the veracity of the facts. “From disbelief, we moved on to joy, good humor, the money fell exactly in time for Christmas”, exults Christian Soula on France 3 Occitanie.
Two conditions are nevertheless set to benefit from this donation: that a street or a square in the village of 2,000 inhabitants bears the name of the donor’s father, and that the tomb of his grandparents be decorated with flowers. Which should remove the mystery of his anonymity. By receiving more than 25% of the municipality’s budget, Espéraza will be able to invest, undoubtedly for young people and carry out road works. Residents would also like more green spaces. Last December, like Capital echoed it, a town in Mayenne had received a similar huge donation. It came from a man whose wife had taken refuge in the village during World War II.
Receive our latest news
Every day, the selection of main info of the day.