Running and helping
Nearly 17,000 and over PLN 1.1 mln – these are the two key numbers from the Poland Business Run – a charity event held in the form of a relay race. Teams made up of people from the real estate industry also took part – and in great numbers this year.
Nearly 17,000 participants attended, raising over PLN 1.1 mln in order to help numerous charities including the Jasiek Mela Poza Horyzonty [Beyond Horizons] foundation, the Fundacja na Ratunek Dzieciom z Chorobą Nowotworową foundation [Save the Children with Cancer], the Amp Active foundation, the Katarzyna Rogowiec Avanti foundation and the Unicorn and First Step [Pierwszy Krok] associations. This year the race was held in seven cities: Kraków, Poznań, Katowice, Łódź, Warsaw, Wrocław as well as for the first time in Gdańsk. ‘We’re very pleased that the Poland Business Run has finally been held in Gdańsk. In spite of the rain, the rivalry of the relay race generated great excitement; everybody was cheering everybody else on. It’s a fantastic initiative that activates and unites the business world to focus on a noble cause and I hope it becomes a permanent fixture in our diaries,” says Monika Brzozowska from Torus. In all the races, a total of over PLN 3 mln was raised thanks to the joint efforts of the runners from various companies as well as the Pomagam Bardziej [I Help More] campaign and as a result the lives of over 60 people have already been changed. The aim of the run, say its organisers, was not only to help the needy but also to bring the business world closer to the local community. It was also of benefit to the runners, who could get to know their colleagues better during the group training sessions. “A great initiative, a lot of teams, really exciting. A cool event – running and helping and we do so enjoy helping. It was an interesting route around the Służewiec district, which thanks to such sporting events can come back to life at the weekend. A lot of positive energy, a great atmosphere and a lot of excitement,” says Joanna Tomczyk from JLL. The owner of the property where the running village was set up was also delighted with the relocation of the relay race route. “Since we became the sole owner of Empark we have been trying to lift the spell of it being seen as just an area of office blocks. That’s why we have partnered up with the Warsaw Business Run. We believe Empark is perfectly suited to this specific running event and the square between the buildings, where the runner’s village and the hand-over area were located was perfectly in line with the character of the event. Holding the Warsaw Business Run in Empark turned out to be great for the organisers, who could hold the race in a completely new, unique location as well as for us because thanks to this event we have been able to once again show a new face to this spot and this time to a record number of people – as many as 5,000,” extols Przemysław Wardęga, the communication and marketing manager Poland at Immofinanz.
Marta Pośniak, a PR manager representing HB Reavis Group, a company that fielded two teams (HB Reavis Poland and HB Reavis Construction), added: “For us, taking part in the Warsaw Business Run is a great way to spend a Sunday. A noble cause and excellent fun with family and colleagues are the things that are certainly going to encourage us to take part again next year. We’re certain that the HB Reavis tream will be even bigger then. I must congratulate all the runners and thank all our supporters very much!”
