An exhibition of New Year's toys from the charity marathon 'Ball of Kindness' has opened in Vitebsk

Nikita Makarov, a sixth-grader from the Vitebsk district, wants a rather unusual gift for the New Year. He needs an electric attachment for his wheelchair to be able to get to school independently. The "Sphere of Kindness" charity marathon will help fulfill the dream of the boy and other children with health problems.

Specialists and wards of social service institutions in Belarus and Russia made Christmas tree decorations in the style of their native region with their own hands and presented them at an exhibition-auction in the "Vitebsk" concert hall. The starting price for each Christmas ball is 50 rubles. The proceeds will be transferred to families from Vitebsk and the Vitebsk district raising children with disabilities.

– The first "spheres of kindness" were made at the Territorial Center for Social Services of the Population of the Vitebsk District, and the idea of the marathon, which was joined by 76 social service institutions, belongs to the director of this institution, Ekaterina Lazovskaya. A total of 100 spheres were created, – said Vladimir Terentyev, Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Council of Deputies. – The state provides constant support to people with disabilities, but any help from caring people is also important; simple human participation supports faith in good.

Boris Efremov, Chairman of the Committee for Labor, Employment and Social Protection of the Regional Executive Committee, invited managers and teams to join the marathon. He expressed confidence that next year the "Sphere of Kindness" will expand its borders and the number of its participants will increase.

Nikita Makarov's mother, Tatyana, thanked everyone who joined this good cause: – My son is growing up in a large family; he is the sixth, the youngest child. A miracle has already happened to him once: thanks to the support of the "Life" charitable foundation, funds were raised for Nikita's surgery in St. Petersburg, after which he is no longer bedridden – he can move around the street in a wheelchair and use a walker indoors.

At the opening of the "Sphere of Kindness" exhibition, Nikita and his mother, like other visitors, interacted with the authors of the works and took pictures with life-size animated dolls, among which Cheburashka became a public favorite. The cartoon character also gathered people of the golden age around him, for whom he has been a beloved television character since childhood.

Raisa Kovalenko, a visitor at the elderly department of the Liozno Territorial Social Services Center, shared that she gladly crafted a New Year's ornament that could help bring a child's dream closer. Lyudmila Stankevich, head of the hobby group at the Braslav District Territorial Social Services Center, mentioned that while creating handmade Christmas balls, she and her colleagues poured all the warmth of their hearts into them.

During the exhibition, from December 11 to 17, master classes on creating New Year's compositions and tasting confectionery products are being held. You can help children and hurry to reserve your "Ball of Kindness," which will adorn your home Christmas tree after the marathon concludes.

Source: vitebsk-region.gov.by