Within the project “Cross-border Volunteers’ Networking for Local Development” four local voluntary services in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina were opened in the mid April.
In Vrginmost, on 11 April was opened Local volunteer centre Sunflower (LVC) that will operate within the organization Sunflower-Centre for Community Development. After the welcome speech by the President of Suncokret Predrag Mraović, the audience was addressed by the Mayor of Municipality of Gvozd Branko Jovičić. He praised the initiative of the LDA Sisak, OKC and Sunflower to start volunteerism at a local level and emphasized the importance of LVC in connecting residents of the area. Coordinator of LVC Sunflower Maja Turniški explained the purpose of the LVS in the community and invited guests to actively support volunteering in Vrginmost and beyond.
In the premises of a Local action group Vallis Colapis, in Ozalj on 15 April was opened another Local volunteer centre. The audience was addressed by the Mayor of Municipality of Ozalj Biserka Vranić. She pointed out that in developed countries volunteering is activity that became a lifestyle, something that is default. She also said that she is happy voluntarism is once again promoted in the area of the river Kupa. According to the coordinator of LVC Vallis Colapis Maja Vinski, Local Action Group Vallis Colapis covers a large geographical area, not just town Ozalj, so the ambitions of the newly opened LVC for the promotion of volunteerism greatly exceeded Ozalj.
The Centre for Children, Youth and Family Laktaši organised on 17 April official opening of Local voluntary centre Laktaši. In front of the assembled guests from public institutions, organizations and volunteers, the coordinator of LVC Laktaši Milana Milanović has briefly presented the role of LVC in the local community and distributed questionnaires to present interested volunteers. She also called on all interested volunteer organisers, if they have any questions, to feel free to come to the office of LVC Laktaši where they will receive all the necessary information.
The fourth in order Local voluntary centre Gradiška was officially opened on 19 April within the Association Most, in the presence of municipality representatives, institution representatives and volunteers themselves. Coordinator of LVS Gradiška Predrag Borojević once again met guests with the role of Service in the community and invited representatives of institutions and organizations to actively take role in the creation of high-quality volunteer programs that would improve the overall situation in the municipality.
Official openings in all four towns were attended by representatives of the OKC Banja Luka and LDA Sisak which are the leading partners of the project. They introduced guests with the overall and specific objectives of the project and its future activities, and wished every success in the work of all newly opened local volunteer centres.
