EL CACHIRULO CREW
It is a great honour for me to have been named Peñista del Año. When I was told the news, I must admit that countless memories came flooding back, especially those of my very first year as a crew member. Telling the whole story would take far too long, but over the years many new crews have been founded, and I have also had the privilege of being one of the founders of El Cachirulo Crew.
Times have changed, but, in essence, San Roque remains exactly the same, thanks to people like us who love experiencing the festivities from the inside, proudly wearing our crew shirts. As these dates approach each year, I still feel the same excitement running through me as when I was a young lad. That is what living San Roque truly means. It is not just four days of celebration; it is the other three hundred and sixty-one days of the year, from the moment you begin preparing everything with the Inter-Crew Federation until the festivities finally arrive.
I would also like to take this opportunity to remember all those crew members who are no longer with us, as well as our loved ones whom we have lost.
I hope I can share with you the joy that fills my heart at this moment, and I wish every one of you, my fellow crew members, an unforgettable San Roque Festivities. I hope you enjoy them to the fullest while demonstrating the respect, good manners and exemplary behaviour that have always distinguished us, so that together we can make each year's festivities even better than the last.
WHEN I STAND ON THE TOWN HALL BALCONY THIS YEAR, KNOW THAT EVERY ONE OF YOU WILL BE THERE WITH ME, FIRING THE CEREMONIAL ROCKET THAT MARKS THE BEGINNING OF THE FESTIVITIES, AS WE ALL SHOUT TOGETHER:
LONG LIVE SAINT ROCH!
LONG LIVE CALATAYUD!
