Posted: 14.01.2025 10:16:31

Time to share warmth

The President’s Sports Club and hockey players of the President’s team have taken part in the Christmas Tradition charity event

Doing good deeds and giving gifts is the main idea behind the Christmas Tradition charity event, which has been held in our country for the 12th time. The President’s Sports Club and hockey players of the President’s team organised a true celebration for the children of the Gorodeya special boarding school. This year, they decided to surprise the children with an unusual format: instead of the participants of the campaign visiting the kids, the little ones were invited as guests to the ice arena where the President’s team trains and plays matches. A very eventful programme was prepared for the boys and girls. First, they skated with the hockey players and learned how to shoot at the goal, and then they attended a theatrical performance.

Hockey team of the President of Belarus conducting a skating masterclass for students of Grodno special boarding school at Minsk's Olympic Arena        Ilya Shvedko

“The Christmas Tradition campaign is perhaps the kindest and most heartfelt event among the activities of the President’s Sports Club. Just look at the emotions on the children’s faces and what those emotions are! I believe this tradition should continue,” said Dmitry Lukashenko, Chairman of the President’s Sports Club.
Dmitry Lukashenko, Chairman of the President’s Sports
Club, took part in charity event   
  Ilya Shvedko
Indeed, there were a lot of emotions. The children met representatives of the President’s Sports Club and hockey players from the President’s team in the changing room and, after putting on their skates, headed out onto the ice together. At first, the students from the Gorodeya special boarding school stepped cautiously onto the ice, but after about 20 minutes of training under the attentive guidance and support of professionals, they were confidently skating laps around the skating rink. Seryozha Kurda was beaming with a smile and shared his emotions, “I really enjoyed it! Thank you so much for inviting us. I have skated before, but here I have learnt a lot of new things: how to move properly and why it’s important to bend your knees. I also enjoyed shooting at the goal. I love hockey! I support Dinamo and often watch matches.”
Neonilla Mankevich had also skated before but gained new insights, “It’s so great here! I liked everything: there are so many people and so much fun!”
The Gorodeya special boarding school has 81 children enrolled. These are kids with developmental disabilities, specifically intellectual impairments. According to Lyudmila Masyuk, the deputy director of the institution for educational and upbringing work, they were preparing for the Christmas Tradition event in a special way, “We are very grateful that our children have the opportunity to participate in such a wonderful event. They have been looking forward to this meeting for a long time and have been preparing for it. Even before the New Year, they decided that they would come to Minsk not empty-handed. They prepared souvenirs and baked pastry, as they really wanted to delight the representatives of the President’s Sports Club and hockey players of the President’s team.” 
Not all the kids from the boarding school came to Minsk, but the celebration will reach absolutely everyone. They will receive the gifts they wished for at the New Year, such as toys, educational sets, headphones, and sports equipment. In addition, the President’s Sports Club has provided financial assistance to the institution.

TO THE POINT

Let us remind you that on the eve of the New Year, employees of the Belarus Segodnya Publishing House visited the children at the Gorodeya special boarding school. We have been supporting the organisation for many years during the Our Children national charity campaign. Every year, we strive to bring joy to the children with pleasant and useful gifts and to give them the chance to feel the magic of the New Year.

By Tatiana Pastushenko