Villazgo de Huercal celebrates the fight for neighborhood health and wellbeing.

Huercal-Overa marked its 354th anniversary of Villazgo Exemption on Thursday. Huercal-Overa was exempted from the city of Lorca on March 3, 1668 and converted into Villa. The Institutional Act of Villazgo was celebrated by the Huercalense City Council. The event was attended by representatives of the Huercal-Overa Municipal Corporation and mayors and councilors from the region and Puerto Lumbreras neighboring municipalities, provincial authorities, brotherhoods and associations, as well as residents of the municipality.

The Special Honorable Mention of the Ville was presented to the Civil Protection Group of the Diputacion de Almeria. They were vital in the development of weekly markets during the pandemic. While they waited for the population's compliance with the sanitary measures, they helped the health workers organize the vaccination point and distribute material. They are worthy of being acknowledged by the Huercalenses as they have been invaluable in helping to combat the pandemic over the years.

The Special Honorable Mention of the villa was also given to the Sisters of the Assumption. Sisters of the Assumption live a religious life based on love of Jesus Christ and for the brothers, as well as a desire to help God's Kingdom project. The first nuns of the Assumption community arrived in Huercal-Overa on September 5, 1975. Pilar Diez was a teacher at the San Jose de Calasanz School.

The event saw the awarding of a Special Honorable Mention to the North Almeria Health Management Area. During the two years of the pandemic, the vital work of health workers and other staff at the various centers to fight it was so important that they risked their lives and those of their families. We are not done with the problem, and the staff continue to work with the same intensity for the health and well-being of the patients. The marathon days of anonymous volunteers who work tirelessly to ensure that the vaccine is delivered to as many people as possible in the shortest time possible have contributed to one of the highest vaccination rates in the region.

The Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Forsaken Elderly received the Special Honorable Mention of the Ville. This Congregation arrived in Huercal-Overa, Mexico in 1889 at the hand of the Venerable Cura Valera, and has been welcoming the elderly ever since.

Domingo Fernandez was the first mayor of Huercal. He congratulated them and stressed that they had worked hard for their people and ensured the safety, well-being and health of all our neighbors.