Vodafone Romania Foundation and Radio Romania have organized, for the fourth year in a row, a charitable concert at the Radio Hall in Bucharest. As part of the event, on Saturday, December 13, 380 children (part of the 6-12 age group) from orphanages and day-care centres financially backed by Vodafone Romania Foundation received gifts from Santa Claus. The show was offered free of charge by several Romanian artists: Proconsul, Stage Academy & Lora and the Radio Romania Children’s Choir.
The Radio Hall show was the apex of the “Letter for Santa Claus” programme, the Vodafone Romania Foundation’s widest-ranging programme for volunteers. Starting in November, under the guidance of an Elf, children from orphanages, social centres and day-care centres in Bucharest, Sibiu, Costesti (Arges), Giurgiu, Ramnicu Sarat, Nicoresti (Galati), Priponesti (Galati), Buftea, Ilimbav (Sibiu), Slobozia and Harseni (Brasov) wrote to Santa Claus and told him what they want to get for Christmas. The letters were loaded on the application and, from then on, Vodafone employees chose the children whose wishes they granted. Saturday, December 12, after the show, children received their gifts in the foyer of the Radio Hall and had the opportunity to meet those who played the role of Santa Claus this year.
“Letters for Santa Claus is a true story that started in 2010 out of the desire to offer to the small beneficiaries of Vodafone Romania Foundation’s programmes the Christmas presents they want. It is one of the most touching projects implemented by the Vodafone Romania Foundation because it brings together the dreams of hundreds of children and the commitment and affection of the employees who take their Santa Claus role seriously each year,” Vodafone Foundation Romania Director Angela Galeta stated.
“Radio Romania supports for the fourth consecutive year this wonderful initiative. We are glad every time to see the Radio Hall full of hundreds of happy children each time around the Winter Holidays. We once again thank the generous artists that have understood that through their gesture they can offer unforgettable moments to these underprivileged children,” Ruxandra Sararu, member of Radio Romania’s Board of Directors, stated.
The wishes expressed by children in their letter to Santa Claus include: various clothing items, footwear, RC cars and helicopters, fully equipped backpacks, painting kits, fishing rods, trumpets and guitars, laptops for children and, last but not least, health for them and all those close to them. This year, many children asked for a symbolic gift for their little sisters or brothers and asked Santa to tell them more about his reindeer and life at the North Pole.
The 380 children that were invited at the Radio Hall show were selected by the 9 NGOs that are partnered with the Vodafone Romania Foundation: Hercules Association, Edelweiss Foundation, Sprijin Comunitar Foundation, Dezvoltarea Popoarelor Foundation, Mereu Aproape Foundation, Pact Foundation, Princess Margareta of Romania Foundation, SOS Satele Copiilor Foundation, Chance for Life Foundation of the Children Protection Services Centre Urziceni and Orphanage no.3 Slobozia and Bordusani.
About Vodafone Romania Foundation and Mobile for Good
Vodafone Romania Foundation has financed, in its 17 years of activity, over 848 programmes in the health, education and social services domain, having as beneficiaries children, young people, elderly people, and physically, socially or economically underprivileged people. So far, the Vodafone Romania Foundation has invested EUR 20 M in projects implemented by partner non-profit organizations.
More details about the Foundation’s programmes can be found on www.fundatia-vodafone.ro, www.facebook.com/fundatiavodafone and http://fundatiavodafone-blog.ro. Set up in 1998, Vodafone Romania Foundation is a Romanian charitable NGO whose status is separate from and independent of the company’s commercial activities.
