Running and helping

Almost 17,000 runners took part, raising more than PLN 1.1 mln to support 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; everyone 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,” said 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, is not only to help the needy but also to bring the business world closer to the local community. It is also of benefit to the runners, who can get to know their colleagues better during the group training sessions. “A great initiative, a lot of teams, really exciting. A cool event. 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,” said Joanna Tomczyk of 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 ideally suited to this specific running event and the square between the buildings, where the runner’s village and the hand-over area were located, fitted the character of the event perfectly,” enthused Przemysław Wardęga, Immofinanz’s communication and marketing manager in Poland.