Mrs. Jana from her home in Vidnav is 73 years old and wishes for a bracelet, and for example, 83-year-old Mr. Josef from Karviná would really like a crossword dictionary from Jesus. There are over 2,500 such Christmas wishes from people, mainly from homes for the elderly, in the Jesus’ Grandchildren project. This year’s edition started on Monday. “At the moment we have about 2,700 wishes and counting. The number of interested parties is increasing just as quickly,” says Jiří Váňa, director of the Czech Radio Endowment Fund.
Interview
Prague
9:28 November 11, 2024 Share on Facebook
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The Santa Claus and Grandchildren project also has year-round activities, such as visits to animals in homes for the elderly (illustrative photo) | Photo: We are MILA, zs
What do seniors want next? What wishes would you like to remember?
I would describe it as modest gifts. These are sweets, various goodies, books, magazine subscriptions, lamps when you want to read in the evening and you don’t have a proper lamp. It’s basically the little things that make you happy.
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Santa’s grandchildren are most visible before Christmas, but we try to think of the project as year-round, explains Director of the Endowment Fund of Czech Radio Jiří Váňa
And how wishes that we find on Ješíšk’s Grandchildren websitefulfill?
Look in that database. At the moment we have about 2700 wishes and counting. The number of interested parties is also increasing rapidly. It still surprises me, because it’s my first time with this project and I had no idea that it would really be so fast.
When you choose your wish and book it, you will receive instructions by email. Then you just wait for feedback from home and make arrangements for fulfillment.
Is there a specific deadline by which we have to fulfill the wish?
The project runs until the end of the year, but if you book it now, you should hear from a specific home within 14 days. You can then fine-tune the details together so that, ideally, a personal meeting and gift-giving takes place.
The wishes of senior citizens appear on the website mainly thanks to the employees of homes for the elderly. Can homes that have not yet made it to the trial also participate in the project?
Yes. We also have such experience that with the launch of the project we remind many homes, so the wishes will continue to increase. You mentioned the workers of the homes, whom I would like to thank very much, because it is a huge extra job for them. Already in September, they will start visiting their clients and finding out what their wishes are. Sometimes they even help them complete them, write them and put them on the website. All the work goes to them and I thank them very much for that.
What can I do if I want to be Santa’s grandchild, but I don’t have enough time to find a gift or plan an experience?
The easiest option is to go to the portal Darujme.czwhere we have an open public collection and contribute financially. Naturally, Santa’s grandchildren are most visible before Christmas, but we try to think of the project as a year-round project. We also have year-round activities for which we use money collected on Darujme.cz. These are, for example, visits to animals in homes for the elderly or care for staff. They are projects that systematically grasp the issue.
You are the newly minted head of the Czech Radio Endowment Fund, when did you join us?
I have been a full-time member of the Czech Radio Foundation since July 15. This means that my trial period ended less than a month ago.
Did you know about the project of Jesus’ grandchildren before you came here?
That’s right. I worked at Czech Television as manager of charitable activities and was in contact with both the Endowment Fund and Jesus’ grandchildren. I knew the project before.
Can you reveal any plans for the Endowment Fund? We have the traditional Světlo pro Světluška concerts, which will probably remain.
Certainly. I think that we don’t need to change anything fundamental, which is great news, and I thank the previous director Gabriele Drastichová for that. Rather, we figure out how to “clean up” and improve projects even more. For example, specifically with Jesus’ grandchildren, I like the emphasis on the year-round project. Because the activities we do throughout the year have a huge impact. Granting one wish to a senior citizen before Christmas is great, but being able to address the whole topic is even more remarkable.
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