“Live healthy and colourful!” – holidays with “Szansa”

From 8 to 19 July 2013 children from the area of Kowala Commune and those who attend every day to community centre Szansa, spent a two-week holiday promoting health and physical activity. Financial support for this purpose was reached from the Local Social Welfare Centre in Kowala. Part of the money came also from the Christmas Fair organized by Szansa as well as from private Donors.

The meetings started with the integration of participants through fun and Olympic Games. Then, each competition for the title of ‘Guards of Fun’ had to wade through complicated tasks exploring cleverness, ingenuity or work in the team. All came through the tasks for what they were rewarded with delicious waffles with fruit. After a day-long adventures children, along with educators, made principles of a healthy lifestyle and undertook them. The next day was a culinary because the whole group went to vegetable garden of the Sisters of St. Michael the Archangel in Kowala. Thanks to the kindness of Sisters we could see how to care about vegetables and take a few of them to the soup which in that day we cooked together. When the meal was ready it was very helpful that we earlier had savoir vivre lesson prepared by one of the teachers.

On the third day participants with a guide went out to explore a beautiful city, rich in architectural monuments and unusual attractions such as underground passage route into tenements of Sandomierz. On the way back they also visited the ruins of the castle in Krzyżtopór. Interesting guide’s legends and stories stimulated the imagination. The fourth day was primarily rest with a book and being inspired by what letters hid. Participants went on a visit to the County Library where thanks to kindness of ladies working there, they saw library and listened to the stories of raspberry juice. Then from the same juice was made jelly. Children were familiar with the most famous poem about vegetables „Na straganie” which was performer as a play on our last day.

Friday was the day of crazy fun in play centre ‘Hula Park’ in Radom and then around animation shawl in a park in Kowala. Another week started in good moods party due to the film ‘Monster University’ which was played in 3D.The children saw how looks likes the school in land of funny and friendly minded monsters. Most of their vicissitudes made smiles. On Tuesday children spent their time on a trip to Warsaw. The group from Słoneczko in Trablice which was also resting, joined to us.

First we visited the zoo watching at many interesting different animals. We found that chimpanzees are very social animals especially at feeding time while elephants only waved with their trumpets. We saw rhino and its enormous power when he was flipping log. Our next point of the trip was the National Stadium. We went to the observation deck in the stands where we have an amazing view of field and space for the audience. Some of us had tried to spot the well-known players but to no avail. The end of the expedition was a walk through the Old Town with the moment of respite. We could bought souvenirs and stop near the Column of Sigismund or encountered mime.

This trip will long remain the memory of the participants especially emotions because of the National Stadium. The swimming pool has a lot to do with the maintenance of health and various forms of spending free time so the groups from Szansa went there on Wednesday. Thanks to the kindness of Aquapark near Centrum Sloneczne we could spend there two hours free of chargé. It was the first time at the swimming pool for some of participant but they coped well and other could swim and dive. For everyone sliding down the pipe caused equally fun which had become a major attraction. After the great fun we went on a healthy and delicious pancakes. Since the movement and activity was the domain we went again to play centre Hula Park in Radom.

This place was loved by children and the kindness of people working there caused that we will be coming back there. After returning we ate mysteriously sounding name dessert – tremblinc fruit volcano. The mystery of its realization is available only for the participant and teachers. Friday was a day of two-week summary of this intensively spent holidays. There were also attraction on this day. First visited us gentlemen police officers from III Police Station in Radom, providing advice on how to safely spend the rest of the summer whenever we would be: water, in the mountain or at home. Men had prepared a surprise for the children – they distributed sweet lollipops and one of the police officers revealed his music talent playing guitar and harmonica.

Together with the children, workers from the Local Social Welfare Centre in Kowala, listened to the performance. To thank the police officers, children invited them for the theatrical performance „Na straganie”. Despite not having a lot of time, children in vegetable caps acquitted themselves splendidly. Acting talent was rewarded with applause and sweet fruits which were enough for the public.

Then the group went to the forest to gather brushwood for fire on which we cooked our sausages and in cheerful atmosphere we went to share diplomas attesting about healthy lifestyle and good fun do not have secrets for us.