Grand Parade - run and support

12-10-2021

At Grand Parade, we have just finished our “little run” (and bike ride) which we held during the summer: the Grand Parade Sports Challenge initiative aiming to promote physical activity among our employees.   

The difference between us and Forrest Gump was that instead of running for no particular reason, we had a very specific one in mind: 71 participants in 10 teams competed for a right to pick the charity which receive 5000 PLN funds. The 2-month long challenge was divided into 2-week stages. Sometimes the competition was so tight that it was decided in the final two hours before the midnight deadline.   

What was the result? The distance the participants walked was 8498 km (like Krakow - Las Vegas), and the distance rode was 19 166 km (like Krakow - San Francisco and back).   

The winners, Grand Runners Team, selected Fundacja Dajemy Dzieciom Siłę (Empowering Children Foundation) as a beneficiary.  “Children who have experienced various forms of violence often consider themselves not worth kindness and respect. If they cannot get help in time, they would keep thinking this way as grown-ups. That’s why the first thing we offer to our beneficiaries is safe space, care, and acceptance. Getting them out of the situation they feel they are irrelevant, not deserving of attention, is crucial for them to regain balance and health.” Monika Sajkowska, the foundation president said. 

One of Grand Parade’s core values is to “Give a damn”; that’s why for many years now we have been engaging in several pro bono initiatives. Last year, we supported Zupa na Plantach (Soup in the Planty Park) organization, which offers meals to those affected the homeless crisis," Tomasz Manugiewicz, Grand Parade site director said.