“Well done ladies you were great” − each participant was accompanied by this sentence during last Saturday when over ten thousand women including a high percentage of men, who were dressed in women’s clothes, took part in the charity event Cork Mini Women’s Marathon 2013. There also were representatives from Polish diaspora on this day. Together−Razem Centre participated in this prestigious event for the second year. Among the participants and enthusiasts of Together−Razem Centre there were many senior citizens working in Together group Coffee or Tea.
This year all of us ran for integration and against social exclusion. The collected donations will be earmarked for the continuation of programs that support integration in the Together-Razem Centre and helping those who are in need so that they will not be socially excluded. Mr. Marek Dunst from Poland, who is a paralysed person and requires long-term rehabilitation, was chosen by the group and donations were also collected for him. Mr. Dunst needs support to fully return to an active social life. This year’s sponsor of the group was Medicus Medical Centre in Cork. We would like to thank them for their support and financial help, which allowed us to buy unifrom t-shirts for all members of the group as well as prepare refreshments for runners.
Both the Marathon and the atmosphere which accompanied the whole event turned out to be a great success. We heard many positive opinions from the participants of the run from Together-Razem Centre such as: “We are very happy that we were able to take part in this great event, have the courage to overcome our own weaknesses and start and finish it (the run) together at the finish line. The atmosphere which dominated the crowd, because there is no other way to describe the number of runners, was amazing. You could feel it from the very beginning, from the preparation at the start to the finish at the finish line. You could see the solidarity among people in the name of needs, goals and dreams of many of the runners.”
Each participant of Mini Women’s Marathon had a goal, each participant believed in ideas and the rightness of their participation in the marathon, each participant had an intention with which they stood at the start, each wanted to represent who he is, for whom they are doing it and on what matter. Based on the pictures and reports from the event we observed a great number of charities, voluntary activities and private intentions with which individuals took part in Mini Women’s Marathon. It was an amazing experience and opportunity to sympathize with others in this day, where everybody was a winner regardless the place gained, each participant is a hero.
We hope that next year the group from Together-Razem Centre will take part in the same or maybe larger line-up. The event was a source of a huge amount of positive energy and encouragement to run and keep healthy lifestyle.
Evening Echo Women’s Mini Marathon is the biggest event of this kind in the district of Munster in Ireland. The event started in 1980, but the number of participants has grown to an incredible number of ten thousand women who participated in this year. The fact that everyone can take part in it, starting from children over 8 years old, disabled people, women and men who were dressed in various costumes were dominant in this marathon group. The event provides the opportunity for runners, race-walker, groups of friends, individual participants to take part regardless of their physical condition. The most important goal is solidarity with those in need, and a lot of good fun the day.
Hundreds of thousands of Euros were collected for local, national and international needs of charities over the last three decades. The participants always which which organization they want to support. Evening Echo Mini Women’s Marathon became a permanent fixture in a calendar of every charity in Ireland including Together-Razem Centre. On 15 September 2013 people’s, needs, and dreams were realized thanks to the help of individuals and groups taking part in it. We would like to congratulate all participants and thank you for your support and presence in that day. Well done everyone you are great!!
Agnieszka Michalec / Together-Razem Centre
Photo © Together-Razem Centre