The fourth Skaza charity run Child to a Child was held last Friday under the slogan “We win when we help each other”. On a sunny afternoon, young runners from all over Slovenia, supported by their families and many famous Slovenians, were enthusiastically running and raising funds for their peers in need. A family event, which grows by the year and exceeds all expectations, was marked by playful children’s laugh, loud cheering and tears of happiness when handing over a donation. This year’s total amounted to amazing EUR 11,000, fully intended for the Žalec Centre for Children and Parents that cares for children with autism. The winners of the run were without any doubt all the participants who also helped in accepting and respecting the otherness with their warmth and charity.
Children from all over Slovenia came together to show their charity at the traditional Skaza charity run Child to a Child,this year held under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor.On a sunny Friday afternoon, the Velenje city stadium was full of young runners, supported by their families and many famous Slovenians, all making sure that the event exceeded all expectations again. Besides their increased participation compared to last year, they also raised more funds – a whopping EUR 11,000 was raised for children with autism.
Visitors were lead through an unforgettable day full of smiles by a popular radio host and a great benefactor Miha Deželak. The initiator and hostess of the event, Tanja Skaza, was motivating the participants all the way, after opening the official part of the event together with Vlasta Nussdorfer, the adviser to the President of the Republic in the field of human rights, followed by a warming-up with the Gorenje Velenje club handball players, Pika Nogavička (Pippi Longstocking) cluband the M-Dance dance group.Participants were also supported by the by drummers from the Laško Brass Band, a rapper Trkajand a singer Anabel, while each runner was awarded a medal for heartiness, received from the hands of a Bepop singer Tinkara Fortunaand a snowboarder Tim Mastnak upon their arrival at the finish line.
The highlight of the program with numerous creative workshops, animations and a rich prize draw was a donation of the funds raised. They were entirely intended for the Žalec Centre for Children and Parents,where they take care of the youngest facing autism, led by the founder Sabina Korošec Zavšek.She had a hard time holding back tears, thanking all the participants in the company of the centre’s protégés and their families, and especially emphasizing the efforts of the organizers to inform the public about accepting and respecting the otherness of children with autism.
The initiator and host of the event, Tanja Skaza,thanked the participants and everyone who contributed to the success of the event with a touching donation handover, adding:
“I’m extremely pleased that we have gathered in such a great number this year and showed the power of charity. The funds raised, and above all the sincere smiles on the faces of the children and all the participants show that we really win when we help each other.”