On Tuesday, September 10, the Good Will Run of the Olga Havel Foundation will start in the Hvězda nature reserve to help families in adverse life situations. The entire proceeds from the starting charity race, which is organized by the Goodwill Committee – Olga Havlova Foundation, will support single-parent families, families who have lost a roof over their heads, or families caring for medically disadvantaged children.
The sixth year of the charity event will offer participants children’s races, junior races, a 5 km run for women, an individual 10 km run for men and women, a 4 x 2.5 km relay, a company relay and also an embassy relay. For those who cannot run, but still want to help, there is a virtual entry fee.
The goodwill run was sponsored and will be personally attended by important personalities of Czech sports, ultra-marathoner Miloš Škorpil and javelin thrower, Olympian Irena Gillarová. Patronage was also provided by disabled athlete Heřman Volf, founder of the company Cesta za snem and winner of the Public Prize within the Olga Havel Award for 2023.
“Last year’s fifth year brought in a record 658,800 crowns, which helped 103 families in need. It has become an unwritten tradition that families at risk of losing their housing receive part of the proceeds every year. Our foundation provides them with support as part of the Roof First project. Help is also directed to parents who care for children or their loved ones with a medical disadvantage,” said Monika Granja, director of the Goodwill Committee – Olga Havlové Foundation.
The Goodwill Run will also help 25-year-old Jakub from Český Meziříčí with low-functioning autism and severe mental retardation. After emergency surgery, Kuba has withdrawn into himself and refuses to go anywhere where people are. “Because of this, we have isolated ourselves a lot, we no longer have contact with our friends, we rarely see our family,” Jakub’s mother describes the current unhappy situation. She would like to buy him an electric tricycle, with which they could get to nature together and to places where they cannot go by car. His cousin recently took him to a similar Cuba. After a long time, an activity appeared in which he shows interest and which gets him out of isolation and out among people. (You can find more information here.) Thanks to the Goodwill Run, eleven-year-old Adélka from Ostrava – Krásné Pole, who has been diagnosed with a rare form of muscular dystrophy, will receive a new, larger wheelchair, light and customized. (More information can be found here.)
The previous five editions of the run, in which over two and a half thousand young and adult competitors took part, raised the sum of 1,943,327 crowns. The selected funds served 229 families who found themselves in an unfavorable life situation.
In addition to the foundation’s stand, an accompanying program for families with children will be prepared on the forefield near Vypich in front of the Hvězda nature reserve. Participants of the event will be able to try the javelin throw with Irena Gillarová and a set of athletic equipment from USK Prague. The Spejbla and Hurvínek Theater will enrich the sports afternoon. The traveling exhibition “Finally Home” will also be on display. It follows the book Nahradka by journalist Barbora Postránecká and photographer Jana Plavec about children who could not grow up with their biological parents. Visitors to the sports afternoon will be able to take a photo with Václav and Olga Havel in the photo booth.
The Goodwill Run takes place on September 10 in the Hvězda nature reserve in Prague 6 from 6 p.m. The accompanying program starts already at 3:30 p.m. The main race will start at 6 p.m. by Jakub Stárek, mayor of Prague 6. (You can find more about the race and registration here.) The project was financially supported by the Municipal District of Prague 6 and the ČEZ Foundation. The sports afternoon will be conducted by Marek Vobr and Jiří Doležal.
Media partners: Czech Radio, Radio 1, Deník N
Partners: Prague 6, ČEZ Foundation, MCAE Systems, s.r.o., Sportega s.r.o., Dino Toys s.r.o., Mizuno, COPY GENERAL s.r.o., Volvo Cars, Lidl Czech Republic s.r.o., ARGO spol. s.r.o., Model Group Czech Republic, Spolecnost 3DDen s.r.o., Pražské vodovody a kanalizace, a.s., OSA, z.s.