MIGUEL MELLINAS, SOGOLO VOLUNTEER YEAR 2024
On Friday 29 November 2024, the International Volunteer Day was celebrated as part of the activities of the Volunteer Information Point (PIV) of the Majadahonda Town Hall. It was a simple event that began with a welcome from the authorities in charge of the event. Afterwards, the SOGOLO song was sung by Antonio Bravo and Alejandro, two volunteer artist friends of SOGOLO, who delighted us live with this catchy song. If you want to sing it, here is the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJnq1KyQs2Q
Then the presenter of the event introduced the video of each of the volunteers of the 15 NGOs working in Majadahonda. One of them was the NGO SOGOLO. Our volunteer of the year was MIGUEL MELLINAS, vice-president of the NGO and retired teacher for more than 20 years at the Benito Pérez Galdós Public School. Miguel is an active volunteer in all the activities proposed.
Among the two key elements that form part of Miguel’s legacy at the school where he worked to this day are his passion for school sport and education in values, instilling sensitivity towards those most in need. He founded the school’s sports group when he arrived, and set an example for the rest of the schools in the municipality. He also worked actively to ensure that the Educational Project of CEIP Benito Pérez Galdós included education in values among its hallmarks. Miguel is a reference in the work of raising awareness among teachers and students, and has actively collaborated with various associations and NGOs (Santa Maria Parish, Gil Gayarre Foundation, UNHCR, Doctors without Borders, CEIP Benito Pérez Galdós (…)). When SOGOLO was founded, Miguel has been one of the founding partners and a great support for the NGO. All his experience with other entities has been valuable to use in SOGOLO.
Miguel believes in education as a driving force for society. That is why he collaborates with SOGOLO both in the management of the Board of Directors and in the activities to be carried out by volunteers: in talks in schools, in charity markets or in all those places where they are asked to collaborate.
MIGUEL is a great person, together with his faithful life partner María José, a friend of his friends, an endearing family man, proud of his two children and his three grandchildren. He defines himself as Spanish as he was born in Fuensanta de Lorca (Murcia) but he has lived in many cities because his father worked in public works. He studied teaching in Cáceres, where he passed the competitive examination. Her first job was in a unitary school in Trujillo (Extremadura). In that school, a girl with Down’s Syndrome used to look out of the windows every day. Before, these children did not go to school. Miguel told her mother that the girl could attend. This anecdote gives you an idea of his character and sensitivity towards those most in need. He always had a vocation for teaching, first in History and then in Physical Education. After Trujillo, he taught in Plasencia, Mohedas de Granadillas, Tarifa and Jerez. His two children, María and Miguel, were born in Jerez. In 1991 they came to Majadahonda, working at the Benito Pérez Galdós School, where he retired. Today she lives between Majadahonda and Hervás, where she likes to go for walks and cycling. He has three grandchildren: Stanley, Frances and Mati, half English, half from Madrid. Miguel enjoys spending time with them.
Thank you very much, Miguel, for being an example to all sogoleños and sogoleñas.