At the last census, 1,222 inhabitants populate the small town of Warluis (Oise)a few kilometers from Beauvais. Each year, the Telethon receives on average almost €15,000 coming from the village, whether via organized events, donations from residents at 3637 and donations by direct debit. How can we explain such enthusiasm and generosity in such a small town?
It all started with the current mayor, Dominique Morethit hard by the disease. At the time, she was not yet head of the municipality. “It was in 2006, she remembersstill moved. My granddaughter Louison died of spinal muscular atrophy. At the time, the gene responsible for this rare disease had been detected ten years previously, and there was no treatment. Today, children recover and survive.» And Warluis contributed to the implementation of this treatment.
Dominique Moret created Everest in 2009
When his granddaughter died, Dominique Moret contacted the Telethon, via his children, first in the North. “There was a nice warmthshe testifies. We will never forget the email from the departmental and national delegates at the time of Louison’s death. I had a first-hand experience of what this association could do, I knew that the funds were not dispersed, so I wanted to get involved in caring for the children, but also in helping the families. Before we were like all French people, we watched the Telethon on TV. Little did we know about the support there is for families, in addition to raising money for research.»
Three years later, in 2009, Dominique Moret created the L’Everest association, with a core of association representatives from the commune of Warluis. “We called it that because the disease is a mountain to overcome every dayshe explains. One day a year, we decide to spend it with sick people. It’s even better if it’s the tallest in the world.»
A 3 km stretch, 27 adults in a telephone box…
She asks each person to bring five or six people to form the association, and prepare a first event in favor of the Telethon. That year, the association organized its first event, called “To each their own Everest”. “It was on the hill going up to get to the aviation museumremembers the current mayor. The challenge was to run or walk the height of Everest during the day. People ran all day, others walked, children were on scooters.” Already €7,600 had been raised, not bad for a first edition.
Since then, other challenges, each just as crazy as the last, have followed. One year a three kilometer scarf was knitted. “We transported it on the town tractor then unrolled it around a fire», remembers Dominique Moret. This was then disassembled to make blankets for the babies of Restos du coeur families and for the L’Arche reception center for disabled adults. In 2012, Warluisiens broke the record for the number of people to enter a telephone booth: twenty-seven adults. In short, activities always in a festive and useful spirit.
Entertainment and car tours this Saturday, November 30
Recently, Christine Henry took over the presidency of the association. This year, no challenge on the program but a host of activities, this Saturday, November 30. “The activities will take place in two locationspresents the new president. First at the community hall, where people will eat and dance. There will also be the Telethon boutique, where beautiful Christmas items made by volunteers will be sold. A reflexology corner will be prepared. There will also be an origami workshop for children. On the square, behind the town hall, games for children will be offered: basketball, tug of war, sack races, archery, a flour workshop, etc.»
But in Warluis, the Telethon has already started on October 5, with Les Bielles Warluisiennes, an event which brings together old cars. During this event, some drivers offer ten-kilometer car tours for the benefit of the Telethon. “The first year we had 80 passengers, last year 110 and this year 100indicates Jean-Michel Jonette, organizer of the event. At ten kilometers around, we are almost at 3,000 kilometers!» At €8 per round, nearly €2,400 has been collected over the past three years.
With a few friends, Jean-Michel Jonette will offer new car tours this weekend. “It would be good to have children affected by the disease, we have convertible cars in which they can fit more easily», specifies the organizer, who will wander around the town on Saturday morning, microphone in hand, to bring together the Warlusiens and the Warluisiennes.
Objective around €15,000
Last year, €13,673 was collected in Warluis, counting demonstrations and donations, compared to €14,552 in 2022. “You have to take into account the economic situation and the weatherinsists Jérôme Fanchon, Oise Ouest coordinator for the Telethon. But Warluis is in the top ten communes of Oise, and in the top three of western Oise. Very large towns with more than 20,000 inhabitants give six times less than Warluis. It’s a chance to have such communities.»
Since 2010, the municipality has never brought in less than €10,000 from the Telethon. This year, the goal will be to do at least as well as last year. Or a little more than €10 per inhabitant.
