Jerzy OwsiakPoland's Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity - the largest of Poland’s annual fund raisers for children’s help organisations - raised 36 million zloty (8.5 million euros), Sunday.
The final total of money collected will not be known for some time, but last year the charity raised over 40 million zloty.
The finale, which saw concerts and events all over Poland and around the world - with participation of over 120,000 volunteers, despite heavy snow - was a concert outside the Palace of Culture and Science, where Orchestra leader, Jerzy Owsiak, led celebrations lit by fireworks, starring Justyna Steczkowska among many others.
The charity orchestra “played” in Gdansk, Krakow, Warsaw, Wroclaw, Poznan, Katowice, Lublin, Bialystok, Szczecin, Koszalin, Kielce, Gorzow Wielkopolski and Zielona Gora.
Global Orchestra
Fund raising also reached Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, France, Holland, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Iceland, Austria, Egypt, Germany, Norway, and the USA.
The day began at 09.00 when Owsiak began events in Poznan, then was flown to Warsaw accompanied by F-16 aircraft.
Not everyone joined in the spirit of the day, however - to raise money for the fight against children with cancer. According to TVP, 50 separate incidents were reported to the police, including volunteers getting physically attacked while out fund raising and selling the characteristic red hearts.
The most serious incident was the assault of two volunteers in Plock. Police are also looking for two men who beat up a 15-year volunteer and stole the collecting cans.
To contact or donate to the charity go to their web site here. (pg)
Source: IAR/TVP
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