Year after year, we break new records - this is how five years of the University of Gdańsk's involvement in supporting the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity can be summarised. Thanks to the University's academic community, auction participants, volunteers and donors, more than PLN 58,000 will go to the needs of paediatric oncology and haematology!
The fifth year of the university's ‘’Play for GOCC‘’, which coincided with the university's 55th anniversary, is exceptional: the UG community prepared as many as 55 auctions, thanks to which a total of PLN 52 356.99 was collected. This is more than six times the result of the first UG auctions for the GOCC in 2021 and more than PLN 16,000 more than the result from last year. In total, over the five years of the campaign, we have raised more than PLN 136,000!
‘This is great news!,’ commented the Rector of the University of Gdańsk, prof. dr hab. Piotr Stepnowski, on the results of this year's campaign. ‘Once again, we have shown not only the strength but also the big hearts of our academic community.’
The highest amount - PLN 9,005 - was won by an auction, the winner of which will take part in seal training at the Marine Station UG seal sanctuary. Further places on the podium were taken by a cruise on the UG ship r/v Oceanograf and a golf game with the UG Rector.
However, auctions are not everything: thanks to the involvement of various university units, the total sum that our university will support this year's GOCC cause is PLN 58 303.42.
ASA University of Gdańsk was actively involved in the fundraising for paediatric oncology and haematology (this year's GOCC goal). As early as 17 January, it invited the public to join in the sporting fun during yoga classes at the MUG Sports Centre and a charity run at the university campus in Oliwa, followed by a screening of the film ‘Brothers of Steel’ at the UG Film Centre. According to Piotr Walczak, President of ASA UG, the cans took in PLN 1936.43.
Attractions full of scientific magic and, above all, good fun, were provided by the Scientific Circle of Chemists together with the organiser of volunteers group #7247 Katarzyna Kos (administrative employee of the UG) and mgr Łukasz Dziadek ( a doctoral student at the Faculty of Chemistry of the UG). During the GOCC finale (January 26), two spectacular stage shows were performed at Primary School No. 1 in Banino (from ‘setting hands on fire’ - the safe illusion of fire on hands, to ‘flying in the clouds’ and ‘the genie from Alladin's lamp’), as well as four interactive workshops on chemistry in practice - from creating fragrant eco-crafts to the flavours of molecular gastronomy. All these attractions were very popular with the participants, and PLN 1,600 was collected for the can from the ‘Chemists’ Station’ stand.
One more remarkable event is worth mentioning. Students from Grade 2B of the Paweł Adamowicz University High School in Gdańsk took part in an auction of workshops devoted to the fascinating world of biotechnology. Although they did not win the auction, they decided to donate the amount offered (PLN 2410) to the GOCC. Their gesture and determination was appreciated by the Dean of the Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology UG and MUG, dr hab. Ewelina Król, prof. UG, who agreed to conduct additional workshops dedicated to the class involved.
UG's involvement in this year's GOCC finale is a real source of pride for our academic community. Thank you - and see you in another year of playing together for the GOCC!