On St. Nicholas Day, FC Ruh, its founder Hryhoriy Kozlovskyy, and the Emily Resort hotel and recreation complex organized a one-day weekend for displaced children and children of fallen heroes. The children visited the FC Ruh Academy and joined in various fun activities and had a great time.
Children from the Children of Heroes and I Am Mariupol foundations, as well as children from other foundations and organizations, came to the Academy. The children and their accompanying persons went on an excursion to the fabulous Winterville winter entertainment town and the Park of Giants, visited Emily Zoo and played interactive games with Ruhman, Ruhman’s mascot. Later, we watched the play “Vacation under Magical Circumstances” dedicated to St. Nicholas Day.
“Celebrating during the war is an important step to help children survive this difficult time. After all, war is a very difficult and traumatic experience for children. It can lead to stress, anxiety, fear, as well as health, self-esteem, and behavioral problems. Holidays can help children distract from negative thoughts and feelings, and experience joy and happiness.
It is already a tradition for our Academy to organize a holiday for children on St. Nicholas Day. This performance was attended by 832 children from boarding schools, special schools, IDPs, and children of defenders. Girls and boys were able to feel the atmosphere of the holiday, and this is very important. I am very glad that the kids were able to have a good time and that our football family made them a little happier,” said Hryhoriy Kozlovskyy.
All the children visited the Ruh Academy, where they saw how young Ruh players live, talked to coaches and players, and tried local cuisine.
“The children had a great time. They are happy and filled with positive emotions. In particular, there were children who lost one or two parents in the war, both military and civilian. Our foundation is very grateful for such a reception of our wards. It is very valuable that the children were able to have fun and escape from everyday problems,” said Olga Leus, a specialist in supporting affected families at the Children of Heroes Charity Foundation.
Then the children went to the holiday performance “Vacation under Magical Circumstances”. On this day, 832 children were able to watch the magic show. Girls and boys plunged into the atmosphere of fairy tales and miracles at the Emily Resort and at the Ruhu Academy.
Children of grades 1-7 of the educational institutions of the Pidberiztsi community were able to attend the holiday, including children of military personnel and subordinate categories who attended a fairy-tale performance at Emily Resort – sports, medical, entertainment.
The Pidberiztsivska rural territorial community thanked for the holiday for children: “We sincerely thank Hryhoriy Kozlovskyy, Oleksiy Riznyk, and Igor Telishevsky for such a wonderful opportunity and sincere children’s smiles. Giving children a miracle no matter what is a great thing!” the STG noted.
Honored Lawyer of Ukraine Oleksiy Riznyk emphasized the importance of this event for children, saying that children need support now more than ever, and a sense of celebration and faith in a bright future.
“From year to year, the Vinnytsia community deals with children’s issues. In particular, the number of children deprived of parental care is growing daily. The number of displaced children has also increased. Therefore, it is extremely important to give children a sense of celebration and make them believe in miracles. Many thanks to Hryhoriy Kozlovskyy and the entire team of FC Ruh and Emily Resort for organizing this event and supporting socially vulnerable groups of the population, who can thus attend various charity events,” said Honored Lawyer of Ukraine Oleksiy Riznyk.
It is worth noting that, in addition to the festivities, Hryhoriy Kozlovskyy and FC Ruh annually organize a charity tournament called “Movement to Victory” for orphans and children who were forced to leave their homes because of the war. This year, the Yellow and Blacks organized a children’s competition that raised 66 thousand hryvnias to help displaced children affected by the Russian invasion.
