On Monday, the 5th of November, the „Millions of Friends” Association from Brasov met the winner of October of the „Rescue Martinica!” Campaign. Her name is Livia Sviştea, she is 34 years old and she lives in Brasov. Livia was the most generous donor in October of the fundraising campaign for rescuing the captive bears from Romania. Livia came on Monday to Martinica’s bee-hive where she received the keys and set the teddy bear free from the chains. “When I came out of the cash register after doing my shopping, I noticed the poster. When I saw that it’s about the Bear Sanctuary from Zarnesti, I realized right away the purpose of this campaign. So I decided to make a donation” said Livia. She didn’t wanted to keep the teddy bear – she wants it to be donated to a children’s center.
Livia is the manager of an advertising company. “I heard about Libearty on TV, a long time ago. I think I saw Mrs. Lapis in a TV program and since that moment I have wanted to see the bears from the Sanctuary”, says Livia. She will come to visit the Sanctuary right this weekend.
„It is not the first time when I make a donation”
This is not the first time when Livia Sviştea gets involved. „I’m a huge animal lover. I love them very much and I am sad for what is going on in our country regarding the faith of the stray dogs and cats. Therefore this is not the first time I make a donation. I have made donations for the stray dogs, for the Bison Sanctuary. We are talking about small sums of money, but I have tried to do my duty as a citizen. I don’t think that it is enough for us the people to get involved, the authorities have to change the legislation as well”, says Livia.
The amounts collected in October were higher than in September, therefore they are sufficient now to cover the necessary medication and utensils for the medical interventions when a bear is being rescued from captivity. Livia would like to send a message to the citizens of Brasov. „I think that what I did is few and I would like for us to join forces. Because of the living standards we can not afford to make big donations, but if we join our forces, if everybody could put 5-10 lei, bigger amounts of money could be collected and donated!”.
The purpose: no more bears behind bars!
The fundraising campaign for rescuing the captive bears, continues. „At this moment, the priority is the 8 bears kept in illegal conditions: one of them is being kept as a tourist mascot in a mountain resort called Straja, and the other 7 are living on an illegal farm in Fântânele, Arad County. Other 15 bears are being kept in rusty cages, without any food or water, in decommissioned zoos or zoos that does not meet the European standards. “We will fight untill the last captive bear will be released”, said Cristina Lapis, the president of the „Millions of Friends” Association.
The other winners – Ilonka Tunde şi Anka Jakab – are being waited to the office of the Association to take over their prizes.
