- Words of thanks from Amadeo Meler to the athletes and other members of Envera, people and friends of Colmenar Viejo, Federations and sports organizations, civil and military authorities, and our parent company Iberia after the tribute to its 30 years as a benchmark of inclusive sport in Spain and the christening of the Ícaro Envera Sports Club Pavilion with his name.
Madrid | September 18, 2023
It is a time for gratitude and gratitude is the memory of the heart. All of you who are and have been Envera remain in it. Thank you very much Envera for considering me worthy of this great honor that is that our sports pavilion - "the one of dreams and silences" - bears my name.
Receiving this recognition from Envera is a great moment of happiness in my life. It fulfills my vanity. But it is also a moment to remember, thank and reflect on my actions, words and disrespect, throughout these years, for which I seek forgiveness with the excuse that it was all for pure attitude of service and to give or improve the quality of life of our athletes.
It all began in December 1989 when three of the founders of the Association of Iberia Employees Parents of the Disabled (APMIB), now Envera, Jesús San Román and the remembered Manel Casalprim and Paco Refoyo, aware of my relationship with sports and the collective of people with disabilities, asked me for a sports project adapted to our future athletes.
At that moment, so many and all of us began to build a story that continues and that from all the presidents and directors, management, athletes, parents and family members, professionals, coaches, volunteers, Iberia, Colmenar Viejo City Council, Community of Madrid and other public administrations, State Security Forces, ONCE Foundation and Sports Federations -and I'm afraid I'm leaving someone out-, we have made it possible, I believe, to tell "the story" ... but very well! You all deserve to bear the name of our Pavilion.
Thanks, especially, to a deeply good and wonderful group of sportsmen, as affectionate as grateful. Stubborn too, eh? Of creative spark and self-improvement, who have managed to be included in a society that they have made fairer and better. Represented now by Javier and Roberto, thanks to the indispensable companions - I guarantee that without them there would be no history -, coaches - eternal and great Tere and Ana in rhythmic gymnastics - and volunteers who have passed through the Club Deportivo Ícaro Envera.
Thanks to the hundreds of colleagues who have been involved in the sport with altruism and dedication, supporting and approaching the athletes to their classes or going with them to hundreds of championships in Spain and the world. Some of them became experts in activities that they had no idea about: Sole, Silvia, Ruth, Carmen, Adri, Sergio, Alfredo, Alex, Madueño?
I am always grateful to all the presidents and directors who, without exception, have given confidence, freedom and autonomy to all the actions and initiatives that we proposed from sport; even if I was angry for not having to account for the social balance and the economic one. To the support received from the rest of the management, even though we sometimes got into conflict and anger. Fortunately, for many years I had Ana Magalló by my side, who, in the face of conflicts and my flares, brought order to the chaos and calmed the blizzards. Thanks also to the Communications Department - what is not communicated does not exist - which is giving so much visibility to the sport and the organization.
I extend my thanks to all the sponsors who have helped us so much, from Colmenar Viejo, Madrid, Catalonia, Canary Islands and other places. I represent them all with the first and dear friend Angel Martín, from Asesorías Rey, who donated money and bought the first indoor soccer goals for the pavilion. And with the last and dear friend Fernando Garcia from DESIGENIA-SME, who this week is organizing a new paddle solidarity tournament and next year will take the athletes to the Aragonese Pyrenees for the third time. Thank you all for loving Envera.
I am not forgetting the public administrations. Of the state, for example, of the first 7 million pesetas that contributed for the completion of our pavilion; of the autonomous communities we have received subsidies for sports activities and special sponsorships, up to an approximate figure of half a million euros. And of the local, especially the City Council of Colmenar Viejo, and its Sports area, performing over the years many social and sporting activities that have resulted in the good of people with disabilities and all colmenareños who are an example of inclusive people. Thank you mayors Juanma Mansilla, J. María de Federico, Miguel A. Santamaría and Jorge García.
And what can we say about our "mother company" IBERIA, its workers and its entire environment, with its countless pro-Envera actions in terms of economic and social support, as well as human resources and logistics, even providing free airplanes to transport parents and athletes. Thank you very much. And we extend our thanks to ONCE Sport, Sports Federations and Special Olympics for the support received, promotion and sports activities that have been proposed to us.
They say that "life gives you some cards that you do not choose and you play them as best you know how": thank you Envera, you have dealt me the most beautiful cards and taught me to play them in the most beautiful way. In those cards and that game we have imbued all our values of sport and life, because what we deserve is in relation to what we do for others, so that society is fair and inclusive in a collective effort.
Dear Envera, dear colleagues, always remain faithful without faltering, with your daily effort, talent, perseverance and passion, a lot of passion! We are not what we achieve, we are what we overcome. Thank you Envera. Cheers and good luck.
