The award ceremony for the “Volunteer of the Year of Bolesławiec County 2013” competition is behind us. This year, 29 people and organizations were nominated for this prestigious distinction. The competition jury consisted of: Cezary Przybylski, Barbara Kostyra, Renata Czerwińska, Adam Fornal, Jacek Nesler, Janina Majewska and Zbigniew Herbut.
In the adult volunteer category, the nominees were:
- Agnieszka i Grzegorz Kojderowie – for 10 years they have organized charity carnival balls, with the proceeds allocated to the renovation of the Basilica. They are involved in preparing Family Festivals. They can invite many generous people to cooperate, setting an example of selfless community service
- Anna Nowak – a teacher of vocational and catering subjects at Zespół Szkół Ogólnokształcących i Zawodowych in Bolesławiec. She is a particularly active teacher and educator in all of the school's volunteer activities. Her most important initiatives include:
- co-organizing the annual Integrative Christmas Wafer Meetings for People with Disabilities and encouraging young people to help run the event
- co-organizing Szpikolada – running a café whose proceeds were intended for a sick girl
- participating in nationwide PCK initiatives and campaigns as part of World Hunger Day
- actively participating in PCK Red Cross Festivals
- participating in the Pierogi Record initiative, in which the school's students and teachers made pierogi at the Festival, and the funds raised were allocated to various important social causes, including the treatment of a young boy after a bone marrow transplant
- co-participating in the PCK initiative Promoting Voluntary Blood Donation – educating and promoting voluntary blood donation among young people
- Anna Tarnachowicz – vice-president of the PCK District Branch in Bolesławiec and a teacher at I LO. Her work focuses on first-aid education and charitable initiatives. She created the program for competitions for children and young people called “Little Rescuer”. She serves as coordinator of the National First Aid Championships
- Danuta Jasiukiewicz – a teacher at Zespół Szkół Mechanicznych in Bolesławiec, supervisor of the student council and the School PCK Club. For three years she has collaborated with the Day Care Home in Bolesławiec – together with ZSM students, she participates in various celebrations, such as Senior Citizens' Day, St. Nicholas Day and Women's Day. She helps organize Christmas wafer meetings for people with disabilities and assists with the “Children for Children” and “Red Cross Star” charity campaigns. She promotes the idea of voluntary blood donation among young people
- Teresa Przybylska – vice-president and co-founder of Stowarzyszenie Miłośników Wsi Raciborowice. A member of the Municipal Board of TPD in Bolesławiec. Initiator and co-organizer of the “Village History Gallery” in Raciborowice Dolne. Intensively involved in creating the Square-Memorial Dedicated to the Memory of Employees of the “Podgrodzie” Cement Plant and Z.G. “Konrad”. Since the Association was founded, she has collected memorabilia and photographs concerning local residents, documented them and made them available to others in the Gallery. She initiates and supports people caring for the parks, green spaces and historic monuments of Raciborowice
- Dariusz Mucha – involved in helping the “Olimpijczyk” Bolesławiec Special Olympics Club. He volunteered as a coach for athletes in badminton, basketball, football, athletics, and cross-country skiing. He also helped conduct sports activities during the winter holidays. In addition to coaching, he places particular emphasis on the educational aspects of sport: respecting the rules of competition and respecting opponents
- Halina Rudzik – a teacher and catechist at SP No. 3 who organizes charity initiatives for people in need of support. She is the author of the charity concerts “Meetings on the Bridge”. When organizing the concerts, she established cooperation with many institutions. She also prepared and carried out two editions of the “St. Martin's Day” project, the proceeds of which were donated to the children of Dom Dziecka in Bolesławiec. She organizes collections of sweets and clothes for children from poor, large and needy families
- Helena Kowal – for years she has worked socially to promote culture and tourism. She founded the Club of the Curious About the World in Bolesławiec, the Opera Lovers' Circle and the Theatre Lovers' Circle. She also cares about educating the younger generation about Polish history. She gives talks on Katyń and Siberia and is active in the Association of Siberians
- Jan Doktor – involved in the Association's activities. He supports and assists people in the most difficult family situations. He provides support in the form of food parcels on the occasions of Christmas and Easter. He provides funding for the purchase of medicines. He makes every effort to organize ceremonial meetings for pensioners
- Jolanta Jeż – has worked for 28 years in the Circle for Helping Children and Young People with Disabilities. She supports all charity campaigns. Every year she organizes integration meetings for people with disabilities on the grounds of the “Pod Dębami” allotment gardens. Every year she serves at the secretariat of the Christmas Wafer Meeting
- Mariusz Grzegorz Lickiewicz – president of Stowarzyszenie Bolesławieckie Centrum Inicjatyw Lokalnych Via Sudetica and an officer of the State Fire Service County Headquarters in Bolesławiec. He is active in promoting the region and the ceramic industry. He brought the first-ever visit by Trójka radio to Bolesławiec and a live broadcast hosted by Marek Niedźwiecki – the Third Programme Hit List and Markomania. He was one of the initiators of the first geocaches in Bolesławiec – characteristic points of the worldwide Geocaching outdoor game
- Michał Bortnik – works as a volunteer for Special Olympics. He devotes his free time to driving Special Olympics Club athletes to a sports medicine doctor and to competitions. He involves young people from the scout troop he supervises in volunteer work. He is also a co-organizer of many scout rallies and camps for troops operating in Bolesławiec and the Nowogrodziec Municipality. He participates in the “Noble Parcel” campaign. He fosters patriotic attitudes among children and young people
- Rozalia Pawelska – a member of Stowarzyszenie Osób Niepełnosprawnych and Stowarzyszenie Carpe Diem. She is involved in all planned initiatives for Association members (picnics, trips and meetings). An invaluable supervisor of groups at rehabilitation stays. Caring, kind, friendly, organized and responsible
- s. Anna Katarzyna Mikołajewicz – a religion teacher at Zespół Szkół Ogólnokształcących i Zawodowych in Bolesławiec. She educates young people toward selfless assistance to those in need and those wronged by fate. At the school, she coordinates young people's volunteer activities. She organizes special assemblies, the Young Talents Gala, the Borderland Culture Week, pilgrimages and student trips to lectures at higher-education institutions and to Jasna Góra
- Waldemar Kujawa – has provided volunteer assistance since May 2013. He carries out minor repairs of electronic and mechanical equipment. He willingly helps people, making use of his abilities and skills. He is characterized by diligence and conscientiousness. Through his attitude, he engages in the life of the local community and develops civic habits. As a person, he is open to the needs of others and shows initiative and creativity.
The winner was Anna Nowak. Distinctions went to: Michał Bortnik, Anna Tarnachowicz, s. Anna Katarzyna Mikołajewicz, Mariusz Lickiewicz and Halina Rudzik.
In the non-governmental organization category, the nominees were:
- Bolesławiecki Klub Amazonek – established in 2004 in response to the needs of all women affected by cancer, mainly following mastectomy. The Club works with hospitals and enables physical rehabilitation at its headquarters with a physiotherapist. Women receive psychological assistance at the Club. Joint trips to rehabilitation centers are organized, during which necessary treatments facilitating proper functioning are carried out
- Stowarzyszenie Równych Szans „Ewa” – an organization operating since 2012 in the area of rights protection, working for equal rights for women and men. It serves people who have been rejected, are helpless or have mental-health problems. It provides those in need with free medical assistance from psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses and therapists. Sick people and their loved ones can count on the Association's selfless help. A new initiative is the Association's organization of World Mental Health Day as open days for city residents. It cooperates with various organizations, including PCK and ZHP. It organizes material assistance in the form of furnishing homes with furniture, bedding, clothing, food, medical equipment and more.
- Stowarzyszenie Osób Niepełnosprawnych Bolesławiec – operating for 16 years and having more than 550 members. Trips to rehabilitation centers and excursions are organized for Association members. The Association also organizes special occasions, picnics and parties.
The winner was Stowarzyszenie Równych Szans „Ewa”.
In the volunteer-donor category, the nominees were:
- Antonina Kopała-Wdowiak – for 10 years she has provided logistical and substantive support to Stowarzyszenie Carpe Diem, sponsored events and made a venue available (the Bread Mystery Play, Christmas). She arranges table decorations free of charge, turning meetings into festive events. This contributes to improving the quality of life of retired teachers from Bolesławiec. For many years she has reimbursed the cost of lunches for children with disabilities and students of Powiatowy Zespół Szkół i Placówek Specjalnych in Bolesławiec. She participates in the Kindness Star initiative. Every year she supports events organized by Bolesławiec parishes: the Christmas Wafer Reception for parishioners of the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary and the Baroque Ball for parishioners of the Bolesławiec Marian Basilica
- Colgate – Palmolive – supports Stowarzyszenie Osób Niepełnosprawnych by donating toothpaste free of charge (in 2009, this amounted to 16,000 tubes). In subsequent years, through 2013 inclusive, the company donated more than 46,000 tubes, equivalent to approximately PLN 276,000 in financial support. As a result, SON members have not had to buy toothpaste for several years. In addition, each delivery twice a year provides toothpaste to Dom Dziecka in Bolesławiec and II Środowiskowy Dom Samopomocy in Bolesławiec. The Association also occasionally supports Polskie Stowarzyszenie Diabetyków, Polski Związek Niewidomych, Stowarzyszenie Carpe Diem and other organizations in the county with the toothpaste it receives. The Association is not the only entity supported by Colgate – Palmolive; many other organizations in Lower Silesia receive similar assistance.
The winner was the company Colgate – Palmolive.
In the youth volunteer category, the nominees were:
- Anna Rospond – as the school's most active volunteer, she was awarded a trip to the European Parliament funded by MEP Lidia Geringer de Oedenberg. She is an active member of the School PCK Club and a volunteer with Polska Akcja Humanitarna. She actively participates in school life and works for non-governmental organizations in the county
- Jakub Kulpa – his activities primarily include actively helping run the annual Integrative Christmas Wafer Meetings for People with Disabilities, conducting the assembly and café as part of the “Szpikolada” campaign, and encouraging others to take an active part in the initiative. Jakub co-organizes a St. Andrew's party for children with disabilities, volunteers with Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Dzieci and volunteers at Dom Dziecka
- Justyna Łoniewska – since February 2013, she has volunteered for residents of Dom Pomocy Społecznej in Bolesławiec and participated in initiatives organized by the center. She tries to visit Dom Pomocy Społecznej in Bolesławiec regularly once a week. She is open, which makes her popular with the residents of Dom Pomocy Społecznej. She demonstrates patience and interest in contacts with older people
- Kacper Szwed – initiator of the “School Mountain of Coins” campaign. Coordinator of a campaign intended to help children in Africa. As part of the “Designer Drugs? Not My Thing!” campaign, he prepared and presented middle-school students with a multimedia presentation and talk on the harmfulness of psychoactive substances. He is a member of the Youth Fire Brigade in Gierałtów. Every year he actively participates in WOŚP collections in Nowogrodziec and is responsible for a group of volunteers. He is currently a volunteer at the Municipal Library in Nowogrodziec, Gierałtów Branch
- Kamila Bartoch – provides volunteer assistance to residents of Dom Pomocy Społecznej in Bolesławiec. She organizes free time for the residents of Dom Pomocy Społecznej. She demonstrates commitment and independence. She is a role model and an ambassador for the Volunteer Center
- Laura Musiał – gives dogs a substitute for a real home: a little affection, a little play and a little good manners. All this improves their chances of finding a new owner. She is sensitive to animal suffering. Working with abused animals exposes caregivers to frightened, distrustful and sick animals. Rebuilding such an animal's trust is hard and time-consuming work. She does almost the same work as any adult charitable caregiver. In the last three years, 160 dogs have stayed on the grounds of the Zieleń-Plan company. This year alone, 50 dogs were adopted. It would not have been possible without the determination of charitable caregivers, including the youngest volunteer, Laura Musiał
- Maciej Nizioł – since last year he has actively participated in the charity initiatives of the School Caritas Club. Systematically and with commitment, he provides care, educational and teaching assistance at the John Paul II Socio-Therapeutic Common Room at the Marian Basilica. Innovative activities result in high effectiveness of the volunteer's work
- Magdalena Janczak – since June 2013, she has volunteered for residents of Dom Pomocy Społecznej in Bolesławiec. Systematically, once a week, she organizes free time for the residents of Dom Pomocy Społecznej. She is characterized by independence in carrying out her activities, diligence and creativity. She enjoys the respect and recognition of residents and staff
- Maja Szocińska – a member of Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego – the 11th Bolesławiec GROT Scout Troop. A member of Polski Czerwony Krzyż in Bolesławiec and co-organizer of the organization's youth section, she has actively participated in several recent PCK campaigns. She volunteers at Dom Dziecka in Bolesławiec, Stowarzyszenie Bolesławieckie Centrum Inicjatyw Lokalnych Via Sudetica and the Gliniada Parade. She actively participates in logistical, organizational and artistic activities.
The winner was Laura Musiał. Distinctions went to: Anna Rospond, Kacper Szwed and Maja Szocińska.
The ceremony was enhanced by performances from the Tierra Flamenca dance school, run by Elżbieta Eisenblätter. In addition, the memory of Anita Nakonieczniej, who died suddenly, was honored. She was an economist, a teacher at Zespół Szkół Ogólnokształcących i Zawodowych, a member of Bolesławieckie Towarzystwo Gospodarcze and a volunteer involved in many charity campaigns, including Szpikolada; she had been one of the nominees in last year's competition. Laura Słocka-Przydróżna, director of ZSOiZ, spoke about working with Anita.
(information: Powiat Bolesławiecki/ii)