A little bit of history

It all started in 2008 with the first "Viticulteur du Coeur" campaign when the Rotary Club of Virton joined up with the Poirier du Loup cooperative, the most southerly organic vineyard in Belgium, in order to raise funds to buy 860 new grape vines. More than 500 sponsors rallied to the call. The money raised made it possible not just to finance the purchase of the new grape vines but also to contribute to the work of several charities in the region of Virton.

History in the making...

The addition of a new 44-are plot of communal land to the existing vineyard of 1.6 hectares and the arrival in the spring of 2021 of 2 700 new grape vines has given us the long-awaited opportunity to organise a new «Viticulteur du Cœur » campaign, which this time goes under the extension 2.0 thanks to a crowdfunding action on Kiss Kiss Bank Bank.

We therefore invite you to become a "Viticulteur du Cœur 2.0" and create both social and environmental impact by sponsoring a grape vine in the Poirier du Loup organic vineyard, while at the same time supporting four post-Covid charitable projects in our region. Come and see us on the slopes of Torgny, one of the prettiest villages of Gaume and Belgium.

Your grape vine will be dedicated to you personally and its position marked on a digital map, thereby enabling you to find it easily during a future stroll in and around Torgny. Your name will also be added to a billboard listing all the sponsors at the entrance to the vineyard.

In return for your contribution, we are pleased to offer you a choice of four sponsorship packages, each with its own rewards (see right of page). For those of you who choose Option N°3 you will receive a bottle of organic sparkling wine (white or rosé) when you next visit Torgny. This is the vineyard’s star product and an indication of the wine that your own grape vine will produce. Those who choose Option N°4 are invited to collect your set of Poirier du Loup specialities directly at the wine cooperative in Torgny.

Your donation will be invested in four local social actions (described below) which have been selected to alleviate some of the economic and social damage caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The players

Virton Rotary Club (organisers)

For the benefit of those who are less familiar with the Rotary, it is the world’s leading service club, present in almost 200 countries and geographical regions. Each year across the world the Rotary clubs organise various social and charitable campaigns, of which 100% of funds collected are donated to the most disadvantaged groups in society. The Rotary club in Virton has been doing charity work for the past 50 years and currently has over twenty active members. They are involved each year in several major actions such as “Lasolidaire” (an outdoors team race) to support local projects in favour of people with reduced mobility.

http://www.rotary-virton.be/

Le Poirier du Loup (partner)

Situated in the commune of Rouvroy and managed by the social cooperative "Ecoculture", the Poirier du Loup vineyard perpetuates a winegrowing tradition which dates back to the Gallo-Roman period.

Nowadays the vineyard is dedicated exclusively to producing sparkling wines using the traditional method: a rosé (pinot noir) and a “blanc des blancs” consisting of chardonnay, pinot blanc and auxerrois. The new plot is to be planted with four new varieties in order to complement the current range of wines at the Poirier du Loup.

The vineyard’s activities are managed entirely by volunteers; it also offers on-the-job training for the job placement and socio-professional training centre "La Toupie" situated in Arlon (see below).

And for the record: the cadastral plot on which the vineyard is situated has given its name to the Poirier du Loup. The medieval legend recounts that the wolves which were hunted and killed by the villagers were strung up in a pear tree situated at the edge of the forest on the slopes above the village to protect it from other wolf predators.

https://www.vignoblelepoirierduloup.be/

The Rotary Community House (beneficiary)

The "Rotary Community House" is a joint project with the CPAS of Meix-devant-Virton. It will be housed in the former village rectory and will consist of one floor equipped to host two families which are temporarily homeless. The funds raised will be used to pay for the building materials necessary for the first phase of renovation work (plumbing, plastering, painting, electricity). The manpower will be contributed by volunteers from the Virton Rotary Club.

La Toupie (beneficiary)

"La Toupie" is a non-profit association which runs a socio-professional job placement centre. It assists people who find themselves unemployed or temporarily incapacitated or who are former prisoners or newcomers, who have few formal qualifications or are professionally inactive, to overcome their dependence on social benefits thanks to professional training.

Established in Arlon 22 years ago, La Toupie has supported more than 2 200 job seekers through some 800 000 hours of training in three areas: horticulture, the hospitality sector and woodworking. The commune of Rouvroy and the wine cooperative Poirier du Loup have a rolling annual contract with La Toupie which provides services to the vineyard in Torgny (clearing, trellising, pruning and grape picking).

The financial support raised through the "Viticulteur du Coeur" campaign will help pay for supplies for the association’s new training centre.

https://www.latoupie-aspi.info/

Le Fourneau David - Les Iris (beneficiary)

The non-profit association "Le Fourneau David-Les Iris" offers services which aim to improve the quality of life of physically and mentally handicapped people, their families and relatives in the area of Virton, Mellier and Châtillon.

The adult daycare service hosts 43 residents on a daily basis, supported by a team of nine educators. They are divided into groups on the basis of their wishes, interests and skills and follow a two-week programme which allows them to take part in a wide range of activities: sports, computer literacy, oral expression, relaxation, cooking, craftwork, sewing, woodworking and gardening.

In order to create new activities for the residents and to strengthen their links with the local community, the association is developing a new project with the commune of Saint-Léger in which it is located. It concerns the management (storing, washing, reconditioning, reservations and invoicing) of 14 000 tumblers made of re-usable plastic which the commune will make available to local associations and initiatives.

The funds raised thanks to the "Viticulteur du Coeur" campaign will help pay for the items necessary to equip the space reserved for this activity, for example an industrial dishwasher.

http://www.fourneaudavidiris.be/Accueil~D-34-0-1

Un Souffle Gaumais (beneficiary)

"Un Souffle Gaumais" is a non-profit association created in 2019 by a group of friends affected by the cystic fibrosis disease. Gradually the association has become structured and strengthened and now functions in an independent manner.

The remoteness of the Gaume region which is far from the major urban centres creates a sense of isolation for the families affected by the disease.

Un Souffle Gaumais seeks to become a genuine link between the families, the Muco association and the medical services and centres. Their priorities are to:

Provide support to children, adults and families suffering from cystic fibrosis.
Raise awareness of the disease amongst the population.
Raise funds for research into the disease and the Muco association.

The "Viticulteur du Coeur" campaign will help give them a boost to succeed in their objectives.

https://www.facebook.com/unsoufflegaumais/

Viticulteur du Coeur 2.0

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