On February 16, 2017 Teatr Kamienica in Warsaw was the venue of a gala summing up the 9th edition of the “Act Locally” Program. It was also the occasion to present awards in the “Tell me about…” and “Civic Leader of the Year 2016” competitions. The first one was organized for the “Act Locally” Program participants, and another one – by Newsweek Polska weekly.
“There are two reasons to be happy: one is making other people happy, and the other is being happy when you change unhappiness into happiness, sometimes boosting the energy of other people. These awards are very important because it is worth appreciating people who show the others how to be good, empathic and caring,” Tomasz Lis, the Newsweek Polska Editor-in-Chief said in his address summing up the last-year’s edition of the “Civic Leader of the Year” competition.
The Chapter of the Competition, of which the Polish-American Freedom Foundation is the main partner and the Academy for the Development of Philanthropy in Poland is the substantive partner, selected two winners. Ewa Błaszczyk, the Founder and the President of “AKOGO?” Foundation, was awarded for helping people with serious neurological damage by giving them and their families comprehensive support, and for contributing to establishment of Budzik (Alarm Clock) pioneer Neuro-rehabilitation Clinic at the Children’s Memorial Health Institute. “I have a great role model at home and therefore I know that we can change our sad experiences into another person’s happiness,” said Marianna Janczarska, Ewa Błaszczyk’s daughter, who received the “Civic Leader of the Year 2016” statuette on behalf of her mother.
The “Civic Leader of the Year 2016” ex aequo award was won by Urszula Machcińska of kobiety.lodz.pl Association for popularization of volunteering and intergenerational cooperation as well as initiating and running the “Flying Grannies” project under which seniors support children, mainly ill or disabled contributing to their intellectual and emotional development.
Apart from these two, the Chapter has granted two special awards. First of them was received by Krystyna Starczewska, the President of the National Forum of Non-Public Education, the founder of the 1st Non-Public Comprehensive Senior High School in Warsaw at Bednarska Street, for many years of work for the benefit of non-public education in Poland, popularization of honoring the dignity and showing respect to every person attitude, as well as showing sympathy and sensitivity to others, and for teaching others how to act and think independently. The second special award went to Marina Hulia, a writer, teacher, civic leader, principal of the democratic school at the railway station in Brześć, for helping refugees, prisoners’ families, seniors and the disabled, as well as popularization of volunteering and involving others into social work.
The awards were presented by Tomasz Lis, Grzegorz Jędrys, Head of the Polish-American Freedom Foundation’s Representative Office in Poland and Paweł Łukasiak, President of the Academy for the Development of Philanthropy in Poland.
The competition refers to the Wisława Szymborska’s initiative of 1996, implemented by Jacek Kuroń and the “SOS SOCIAL ASSISTANCE” Foundation. The objective of the competition is to award the civic work in Poland and popularize the activity of individual people who as members of NGOs, informal groups or local government structures struggle with various social problems. The winners of the competition have been presented by Newsweek Polska weekly.
The Competition Chapter is composed of Jerzy Koźmiński, President of the Polish-American Freedom Foundation; Paweł Łukasiak, President of the Academy for the Development of Philanthropy in Poland; Renata Kim, head of the Society section of Newsweek Polska; Przemysław Radwan-Röhrenschef, Director General of the School for Leaders Foundation; Jan Kuroń, Jacek Kuroń’s grandson; Michał Rusinek, President of Wisława Szymborska Foundation; and Janina Ochojska, President of Polish Humanitarian Action.
The Gala made also an opportunity to honor the winners of the “Best Practices in Act Locally” competition.
Among the winning Act Locally Centers which did best with fundraising and opening new thematic paths are:
- Dalkowskie Hills Agreement Foundation for good practice titled “Act Locally on Dalkowskie Hills”,
- Niemodlinskie Forrest Partnership Association for opening the “Act Locally. Naturally” thematic path,
- St. Anna’s Country Association for good practice titled “Good energy continuously returns”,
- Generations Foundation for good practice titled “Regranting in common use”,
- W.A.R.K.A. Vision Activity Entertainment Culture Alternative Association, for good practice titled “An idea for business – cooperation with local entrepreneurs in financing the grant recipients’ activities”,
- SMK Local Fund Foundation for good practice titled “Local Initiatives 2016 Gala”,
- Young People Together Płocki Land Local Fund for good practice titled “Act Locally – NGO and active local groups development in Płocki District”,
- Keys Educational Forum Association for good practice titled “Regranting – a chance for local initiatives development”.
Another element of the Gala was presenting several Act Locally Centers with certificates. This way the group of certified ALCs has increased by Nidzica Local Fund, Science for Environment Foundation of Koszalin and Together Charity Association of Zelów and now has 24 members.
Also, winners of the “Tell me about …” competition for 2015 and 2016 received their awards. The objective of the competition is to encourage project participants to present their activities under the “Act Locally” Program in an attractive way.
In the 2015 edition of the “Tell me about…” competition the winners were:
• In the MAN category, the main prize in the amount of PLN 2,500 for a short film “Family means we” was received by The Initiating Group proposed by Cieszyn Creative Youth Association:
• In the PLACE category, no prize was granted. The Competition Committee decided that none of the submitted films met the “Tell me about…” competition requirements:
• In the MOTIF category, the main prize in the amount of PLN 2,500 for a short film titled “Come and paint the world” went to Live Colorfully group proposed by Inspiration Generator Foundation:
In this category the Committee also distinguished with a prize in the amount of PLN 1,000 a short film “Summer on a yacht” shot by Sail Sailing Club at Sokółka, proposed by Sokółka Local Fund Foundation:
• In the FILM PRODUCT OF THE PROJECT category, the main prize in the amount of PLN 2,500 for a short film: “Expand! EVERMORE…”, went to Hungry of Language group, submitted by Inspiration Generator Foundation:
The winners of the “Tell me about…” 2016 were:
• In a MAN category, the main prize in the amount of PLN 2,500 for a short film: “Gospel Music Workshops for everyone” was received by Friends of Gospel Music group proposed by Żywiec Development Foundation:
• In the PLACE category, the distinction in the amount of PLN 1,500 for a short film “Chestnut Avenue – mini educational path” went to Kłobuczyn Village Council, submitted by Dalkowskie Hills Agreement Foundation:
• The second distinction in the PLACE category, in the amount of PLN 1,500 for a short film “Educational Farm in Winiarczykówka”, was received by Teen Challenge Christian Social Mission, proposed by Orawa Development Association:
• In the MOTIF category, the main prize in the amount of PLN 2,500 for a short film titled: “We press the might”, went to the Fruitful Way group of Andruszkowice, proposed by Agricultural Production Promotion and Support Center of Sandomierz:
• In the FILM PRODUCT OF THE PROJECT category, no prize was granted. The Competition Committee decided that none of the submitted films met the “Tell me about…” competition requirements.
The certificates for Act Locally Centers and prizes in the “Best Practices in Act Locally” competition and in the “Tell me about…” competition were presented by Kalina Grzeszuk-Zajączkowska, the PAFF Program Coordinator, and Paweł Łukasiak.
The host of the Gala was Paweł Oksanowicz, a radio journalist.
For over 16 years, the “Act Locally” Program has been supporting and activating local communities in rural areas and small towns through civic initiatives that stimulate developmental ambitions and quality of life improvement, as well as contribute to building the social capital. Over 8,600 projects with a value of over PLN 75 million have been implemented in cooperation with a network of 67 Act Locally Centers.
