Luis Hessing, former federal volunteer of the Solingen Sports Association, has already covered the first kilometers “towards Tokyo”.
© Sports Association
12,500 kilometers to Tokyo are to be covered in favor of swimming lessons in schools.
From Jutta Schreiber-Lenz
With the #SolingenRunsToTokyo campaign, the Solingen Sports Association wants to encourage all citizens of the city to run or walk in cooperation with the clubs. Since April 14th, young and old have been heading digitally towards Tokyo. “Regardless of whether and how the Olympic Games take place, we have set them as markers to collect 12,500 kilometers by July 23,” says Magdalene Möhring from the Sportbund. “How much is walked or run is up to you.” The kilometers covered should be verified by app or email.
Since the proceeds from the entire campaign are intended to improve the staffing of swimming lessons in Solingen schools, sponsors were able to buy so-called “swim packages”: “In contrast to the procedure for conventional sponsored runs, where every kilometer covered is paid, we have interested donors offered to cover the costs for either 50 or 100 working hours for a potential future swimming assistant, ”says Möhring, explaining the concept of the benefit campaign.
Together with her Sportbund colleague Marie-Aline Bak, who is responsible for youth development, she has estimated 12.50 euros per hour – an average arithmetical rate. “The background is that the number of Solingen children and young people who cannot swim properly is increasing,” says Marie-Aline Bak. “The number of swimming hours in schools, which has been reduced further and further over the past few years, shows a regrettable but clear trend.” The cause is often a lack of staff in schools in this area. In order to counteract this, the idea of financing so-called swimming assistants, who help with sports education at the edge of the pool, came up.
Achievements can be transmitted in many ways
Kilometers covered can be sent to the Sportbund as proof via screenshot or photo via various channels (| box). But there are also opportunities to participate for those who are less familiar with modern communication channels: “After all, it is important for us to address everyone who is interested in exercise, because we don’t want to build in an insurmountable digital hurdle,” explains Bak. At certain running routes that have been previously shown on the homepage, there are stations with slips of paper and pens that can be filled out on site.
Contact
Media-savvy athletes can submit their kilometers via Instagram, Facebook, e-mail or WhatApp. Further information can be found on the website of the Solingen Sports Association. solingersport.de
Instagram: @solingersportjugend
Facebook: @SJSolingen
Email: [email protected]
WhatsApp: 015736701788
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