Marie is a small commune in the hinterland of Nice. A little over a hundred inhabitants reside there. It is the only commune in France and even in Europe to bear this name.
The mayor, Gérard Steppel, has set the objective of restoring the Saint-Pons church, and to do so, he has chosen an institutional approach—a partnership with the Heritage Foundation that allows for fundraising with the tax benefits permitted by law—and an imaginative approach: asking all women named Marie or its derivatives, such as Marion, across France to donate 1 euro each to reach the total required sum of 149,000 euros.
It must be acknowledged that even a marketing expert from the best universities wouldn’t have come up with a “smarter” idea, as they say in the profession.
But that would be without knowing this sparkling official, whose motto could be: “imagination in action.”
The operation is progressing well, and the milestone of the first 10,000 euros collected has been surpassed.
So, while the road is still long, one mustn’t slack off: donations can be sent by check to the Heritage Foundation of Nice or online.
