A group of altruistic women-whose mission is preserving the distinctly Venetian tradition of rowing traditional, hand-crafted wooden gondolas along the city's renowned canals-are redirecting their efforts amid the pandemic to serve their community.
Members of the all-female, non-profit 'Row Venice' are applying their skills in delivering groceries to Venice's elderly residents, as well as others who're unable to shop for themselves, via the city's famous waterways, revealed Travel + Leisure.
These volunteer gondoliers are doing the dual service of delivering organic produce to Venetians with no other means to obtain it and transporting fruit and vegetables from a farmhouse located outside the city. Customers in the historic center and Giudecca can place their orders online, and they'll arrive directly via gondola, the group noted on its Instagram page.
Situated on the coast of northern Italy, the region in which Europe's COVID-19 outbreak originated, Venice is among the areas where the Italian government is now preparing to ease its quarantine restrictions.
The country has been under strict lockdown orders since March 9, 2020, with citizens subject to stringent regulations on leaving their homes.
In some areas, the wearing of masks in public is mandated and those who leave the house must carry a "self-certification" form detailing their reasons for doing so.
The Local reported that the maximum fine for breaking quarantine rules in most areas is €3,000, although penalties in some regions could be even higher, and the most serious offenses can warrant prison terms.
The BBC reported that Italian Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte, will presently announce plans for gradually lifting Italy's lockdown measures. He stated that this process might reasonably be expected to begin on Monday, May 4.
Since the onset of the coronavirus epidemic, Italy has recorded over 195,000 confirmed cases of the virus, with deaths totaling over 26,000, according to a Johns Hopkins University tracker.
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