WINK AT THE SUN 2008 – Making holidays possible for all children

SUNSHINE GAMES IN ZAMBRATIJA

23. 7. 2008

Zambratija, July 23, 2008 – What could be more fun and exciting than if, in the middle of your summer vacation, when interesting things are happening every day, a real pirate family came to visit? So what if they’re just an acting troupe, the feeling is totally as if you had just sailed into an adventure story. This kind of pirate atmosphere was created for the children today at the holiday camp of the Moste Friends of Youth Association – at Polje in Zambratija, sponsored by Lek Pharmaceuticals, which has been holding the SUNSHINE GAMES, a special event which additionally brightens up the holidays of children who are vacationing as part of the WINK AT THE SUN campaign. The Kolenc Family Theater entertained the children once again this year.

The young holidaymakers were joined today by representatives of the Friends of Youth Association of Slovenia and partners to the initiative Lek, who have carried out the “WINK AT THE SUN – Making holidays possible for all children” charity campaign for 10 years in a row.

Every child deserves to have the most relaxing and safe holidays possible, with the opportunity to release their creativity, realize their talents and enjoy their holidays happily and beneficially. Therefore holidays are not just days when you don’t have to go to school, but are an exceptionally important part of the year for a developing personality. Parents often are not aware of this and perhaps overlook the many dangers which accompany boredom and a feeling of being unaccepted among children who are left to themselves. This is why the FYAS tries to give children as many opportunities as possible to enjoy active and healthy holidays, which are particularly important for those children who live in various straitened circumstances,” said Anita Ogulin, President of the Commission for Social Issues and Humanitarian Projects at the FYAS, who added: “That is why the ‘WINK AT THE SUN – Making holidays possible for all children’ charity campaign, which we carry out every year together with our partner in the initiative, Lek, is such an important project, and on behalf of the children and their parents I would like to sincerely thank all of the donors!

To be the initiator of a charity campaign from the very beginning is a very special gift for any sponsor. It means we are giving the children more than money – in ten years we at Lek have earmarked over 150,000 euros for children’s holidays – we are expanding awareness of this problem and through our example we are encouraging others in Slovenia to contribute as well. We are also happy to put on the very special day of the SUNSHINE GAMES for the children who go on holiday with our help”, said Member of the Lek Board of Management Marjan Novak, who added: “I have been visiting the children at the Friends of Youth Association of Slovenia holiday camps for several years and I am always greeted by the smiling faces of the enthusiastic holidaymakers. This is the nicest thanks, which always convinces us that we are on the right path and that we are putting our energy in the right direction.

This year more than 61,000 euros were collected in the Wink at the Sun charity campaign, which means that 227 children from all over Slovenia were able to enjoy free 10-day holidays. Thus for the tenth year in a row the WINK AT THE SUN – Making holidays possible for all children charity campaign has encouraged kind-hearted people to do all they can to contribute to holidays for children who would otherwise be at home, left to themselves and the streets, due to the socially marginalized circumstances of their families. To date we have made such holidays possible for more than 6,000 children from all over Slovenia. Around 30 thousand children go on holiday with the Friends of Youth Association of Slovenia every year. The holidays are held at various locations at 14 modern holiday homes belonging to the Friends of Youth Association of Slovenia by the seaside and in the mountains. “Our network of over 140 associations and societies all over Slovenia ensures that they have interesting, creative and pleasant programs in the places they live, even the children who stayed at home,” said Majda Struc, General Secretary of the FYAS.

For further information contact:

Majda Struc

General Secretary FYAS

zpm.slovenije@zveza-pms.si