Mike & Cyn's Italian Adventure: Fiaccolata 2009

About 2 hours away from us, just north of Verona, is the small, italian town of Solferino, where, on June 24, 1859, there occurred the Battle of Solferino. In the aftermath of that bloody engagement, over 38,000 soldiers lay dying and dead on the battlefield with no one making any effort to offer them aid and comfort. A Swiss businessman, named Henri Dunant, witnessed the atrocity, and was so shocked that he immediately began enlisting the help of the women and girls of Solferino to care for the soldiers. He spent his own money buying supplies and erecting make-shift hospitals. He encouraged his helpers to assist all of the soldiers regardless of their side in the conflict saying, "Tutti Fratelli" (All are brothers). On his return to Geneva, he wrote a book and started an organization dedicated to the neutral assistance of humanity, the International Committee of the Red Cross. And every year, Red Cross and Red Crescent society members from all over the world, converge on Solferino to commemorate this event. The commemoration lasts for a week and finishes with the Fiaccolata candlelight walk through Solferino. This year was the 150th Anniversery of the event, and since I happen know the June 2009 Vicenza Red Cross Volunteer of the Month, you know that we just had to go to this.

We met about 10 RC volunteers and workers at the base early on the morning on June 27, piled into a van, and headed off to Solferino. We found our way to the parking area and our leader checked us in at the welcome pavilion. I was totally blown away by the number of people there. They were from all over the world. There were a lot of Italians and just as many Germans, but all of the countries were respresented, hong kong, bangladesh, finland, sweden, costa rica, and on and on... Some of them had arrived up to week earlier and were living in a large tent city that the event organizers had created for them. There were displays and exhibits, and throngs and throngs of people; all of them there because of their committment to the Red Cross.

We stood in line at the back of flat bed truck to pick up our candles for the walk, then stood in line to see some exhibits, then stood in line to buy some Red Cross t-shirts. Apparently you can't have enough t-shirts because it's tradition to trade shirts with other walkers from around the world. We then hiked up the hill to the main Piazza of Solferino. We had reservations at a nice restaurant there, and the walk would begin from that Piazza. We were really excited to be there and to be able to participate in this amazing event. Cynthia was concerned because no one could give her a map of the course, and she always feels more comfortable with a map. We were told it's about a 5K (3 mile) walk and it would be amazing. Cyn and I aren't big time 'walkers', but how hard could a few miles be?

After we finished our pizzas, we joined the massive crowd in the piazza and listened to the pre-walk speeches and music. We started trading t-shirts and taking pictures with every one we saw. Then a little before dusk they give the signal and we all lit our giant 2 foot long candles and began our march. The excitment was a palpable buzz across the piazza and down the hill into Solferino. The locals came out on to their porches and balconies to wave and cheer us on. It was really cool...

And so we marched on... and on... and on... Out of the town of Solferino, and thru cornfields, and up hills, and down hills, and on, and on... And then the complaining started. We were mentally and physically prepared for 3 miles, maybe 5 miles, but as the sun set and the long trail of candle lights stretched out both in front of and behind us, we became more and more certain that we were in trouble. And the worst part was that no one could tell us anything; how much farther, how much longer, was there an easier way, nothing... My feet complained. My wife complained. The complaining intensified. I found myself in the role of cheerleader and slave driver pushing both of us ever onward. At one point, as we re-entered the city of Solferino, we thought we might be near the end. However as we turned a sharp corner in the road, we were greeted by a long steep hill back up to the Piazza where we started. Getting her up that hill took a force of will on both our parts, but I just kept saying that this hill was the end of the walk. We would be back at the Piazza where we started from, right? Well we ended up at the Piazza alright, but the winding, fiery snake of people didn't stop at the Piazza. Instead they just kept plodding on down another road. The complaints reached a new level.

At one point we stopped at an ambulance parked by the side of the road (Note: when you go to a red cross event, you can always count on good first aid stations), and asked them how much longer the course might be. They had no idea! That sent the redhead through the roof! She didn't have a map, she didn't know how long the walk was, and not even the event staff could help her! I offered the option of leaving her there, and I would ask our driver to come back after the walk was over, but who knew how long that would be. Like a a grouchy, little trooper, she marshalled on.

All in all, we hiked for over 13.3 kilometers (over 8 miles) through, around, and over Solferino. At one point we met up with some American Red Cross volunteers that had flown in from military bases in Japan. That helped to lift our spirts, since we had long ago lost track of the people we came with. All said and done, we marched for over 3 hours and finally ended up at the tent city were we had checked in for the event. Our bones were weary and feet blistered, but as the fireworks went off celebrating the end of the Fiaccolata, I couldn't help but feel proud of our participation in this incredible event.