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30 days – is it a big period or not? We would say: this period is enough! Enough for more than three hundred children from three Kherson Oblast boarding schools to write letters to Saint Nickolas. Enough to process all of them, systematize them and to start a challenging and diligent work on searching of Wonderworkers in reality… Those, who will stop at nothing to fulfill a child’s dream! And here it is – the fairy tale started to fulfill – we set out on our journey on December 18th! Join the club to recollect all those feelings and emotions!

We don’t give away traditions to start celebration of Saint Nickolas Day mainly from Novokyivka Boarding School! Novokyivka became a special place for us long ago, a place, where it is calm and warm, the place where small “magpie kids” will make you forget about grief and sorrow with that frankness, common to children only!

On December 18th we visited Novokyivka Special Boarding School, where small and adult “magpie kids” (this year there are 84 children that study and live there – 1 through 9 forms) were looking forward to meet with us, as the last time we met was the performance of “It was probably for real?” on December 9th. Since that time they have gathered lots of emotions – now children showed their holiday fairy tale and surprised us with their talents.

Novokyivka’s Boarders were participants of the project “I – Saint Nickolas” in 2017, this year we have decided to present them unusual remembrance – time spent together, creative master-classes and meeting with interesting people.

- Did you miss us? – asked we. – Yeees! – shouted children all together!

It feels really good! There is nothing more precious than true children’s joy! Remember that! By the way, we were looking for meeting in Novokyivka the same way – Union members and volunteers, as a pretty boy Mykolka that captured our hearts last year has been studying here. It happened so that he made himself into an avatar of the project 2018! Jumping ahead, I would like to plain – Kolya didn’t want to take photo with anyone at all, as he was really shy this time… Oh, Kolya!

Right ahead after the end of the performance that was prepared by “magpie kids”, we divided into two teams – older and younger ones. For the smallest participants craftswomen from Creative Studio “Pisochnyi Ostriv” (Sandy Island) – wizardesses Valya and Anya prepared a master-class on creation of New Year snowmen – gypsum decoration for the New Year Tree. They were creating with such an enthusiasm and were so proud to demonstrate their pieces of work! They all received presents for such diligence and determination – sets from a tooth fairy Iryna Diedova and colouring books together with the stationary, that was gathered by Anna Morozova and pupils of Blagodatne Secondary Comprehensive School of Skadovsk Region – all this went off like hot cakes!))
This is the way that we have united hearts of Kherson folks from different parts of our Oblast!

Do you know what was the jolliest in Novokyivka? After that the youngest children seriously at the same time informed us: “Denis will surely taste a toothpaste tonight!”

As they say, no commentaries)))

And the older children were left alone with …the police women. Again, going ahead, I will share with you: after our departure from the boarding school, our camera man Viktor came to me and told me: “Iulia, you have frightened them with the police so much that they have lost all their courage!”

But this hesitation turned out to be not so long, when they understood that these pretty, intelligent and dignified policewomen Kateryna Kovalchuk and Viktoria Burdeina came not to frighten them, and, God forbid, not to arrest them, they took an active part in different action games – breaking jolly piniatas and winning candies for their teams!

Here I would like to express thanks one more time to our volunteers-police women. Girls from Bilozerka, coworkers of that police department gathered money to buy candies, and Kateryna and Viktoria didn’t sleep at night, making those piniatas themselves!

Active games were greatly enjoyed! The children were not only breaking that paper-mache, but also carried out tasks and took part in the improvised battles – performed push-ups, did squats, jumped!

We were overcome with emotions when we left Novokyivka, choking back tears, when children looked at us from the windows and waved their hands… We didn’t hear through the glass, but read their lips: “Come back!”…

We will come back!

Gifts Marathon of the Project “I – Saint Nickolas” 2018

The project team visited two boarding schools in Stara Zburiivka – special and sanatory on December 19th. More than 200 children were waiting for us, more than 200 times we presented gifts and heard happy “Thank you!”

Our photographer, Aliona Martynenko that stayed behind the scenes during the holiday concert, shared her impression afterwards: “One boy, from the older ones, spoke about the presents, that were lying under the New Year Tree sceptically – something like, what they have brought? Again candies, it’s nauseous!..” The most interesting was when we presented gifts, and 15-year old Vania opened his package, he was bubbling over with joy – he received trainers of his dreams! In the end, when we were getting ready to leave for the sanatory boarding school, Vania ran into the hall and started to run back and force along the corridor, trying his trainers for stopping abilities and taking photos with great pleasure. He kept saying all the time: “I was dreaming about them, they are from my dreams…”

Probably, there are still some naysayers that think that all this was in vain??

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December 21st – Sivash Special Boarding School

Almost 200 kilometers, 2.5 hours of trip and the whole day of bad weather were between us and this meeting! And one – “Good afternoon!” all together and one hundred pairs of eyes that were looking forward to us with hope all this time.

“ Please, wash your hands and come to the hall – the children have been waiting for you…” We felt not only strictness in these words of a Head of Sivash Boarding School, a true lady of the house, but some care in a family way…

Children have really been waiting for us; they have prepared such a concert and so modern performance that we haven’t even noticed the time. We have made the gifts-giving the same way special – started with the history of one present to Kiril – a ball and scarf of Football Club “Shakhtar” (go on reading), it has stricken everyone so much that children and adults were applauding aloud for a long time!

And then it was the turn of presenting balls. When we gave presents to the boys, we were joking that each day they could take a new one for the work-out! We have greeted everyone, looked in their eyes and hugged… These were the unbelievable and unforgettable moments!!

Do you know what was the most striking? All children, even the smallest, were patiently waiting for their turn to receive the present, and nobody opened his/hers till the last child!

Do come to visit the children – come to hug them, to speak to them, to present your warmth and care!

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History of one gift

This year the project “I – Saint Nickolas” gathered 306 children’s dreams. All of them were different – some children were shy and asked for bows, a fairy tale book, a soft toy… The older children were less constrained – the top dream of year 2018 is wireless acoustic..)))

But there was one boy who caught our special interest – a dream of 14-years old boy Kiril. He asked the Saint about a leather ball of FC “Shakhtar”, Donetsk. A pleasant young girl Natalia Denysevych responded to this dream. This was the beginning of the history of one present…
Natalia really wanted to please the boy, but was really sad, when she sent a message to us stating that there were no leather balls at the club at all. “I have already turned to the club and had to purchase not a leather ball, but I would also like to take a fan scarf signed by one of the players (as I understand that the boy is a fan of “Shakhtar”) Cool, isn’t it? There was only one problem – the scarf could come later… All our team worried for this present together with Natalia. On December 19th, tired after the trip to Nova Zburiivka, the first we did was visit to the office of “Nova Poshta” instead of visits to the office or home, to take the parcel. Really symbolic, but the signature on the scarf was put by the footballer of FC “Shakhtar” who comes from Kherson – Viktor Kovalenko!

It turned so that the weather ruined our plans on December 20th, and we came to Sivash boarding school on December 21st. But we were so happy with a thought that the boy Kiril would receive his present and would be flying high above the sky happily!

Believe in dreams – they do come true!

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Project’s Novelty Product – Partners’ locations

There is a rule in Kherson Women Union – not to recur. Having decided to fulfill this project “I - Saint Nickolas” again in 2018, we have brought some novelty to it – we have organized partners’ locations. Having no doubts to organize purchase of presents in their offices, Toyota Center Kherson “Auto-Plaza” and administration of Beauty Salon “Frederico Moreno” Kherson responded to our proposition.

We would like to thank everyone who joined the project, having purchased the present for a child at a special location, and especially to the teams of Toyota Center Kherson “Auto-Plaza” and Beauty Salon Frederic Moreno Kherson – we know that the majority of presents were purchased by you!

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Have all dreams been fulfilled?

Yes, we have! All children have received the presents! Though there were people who chose the dreams but at the end of the term disappeared and stopped contacting at all. Due to you, such kind of people, we have proved ourselves that there is nothing impossible for us – we have fulfilled these dreams as well!

And thanks to the help of the Charity Fund of Ievhen Ryshchuk – even to those who visited the holiday unexpectedly: we had such a case at Stara Zburiivka Sanatory Boarding School. Having presented all the packages, we saw that there were two children – a boy and a girl, who stayed calmly on their seats.

At first we were frightened: how could anyone stay without a present? Seeing a question in our eyes, the workers of the boarding school hastened to calm us down: they were not the boarders, just the visitors… We couldn’t leave “just the visitors” without anything!

- Who are you? What’s your name? – I approached a nice boy, who was sitting alone.

- My name’s Iarik!

- Iarik, have you been good this year? Do you believe in miracles?

- Yes!

What can adults do in such a moment?! Just present a fairy tale! We rushed to our “GO bag” and took a special present – inertial jeep hammer and presented it to Iarik! Can you imagine how much joy there was in his eyes?? I think it is even hard to imagine!)

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Project’s Unbelievable Team of Assistants and Volunteers

We would like to express our gratitude to everyone who responded to our project; everyone who became a Wonderworker to a child from the boarding school and fulfilled the child’s dream; and especially to Saint Nickolas’ assistants and volunteers – to everyone who woke up at 5 o-clock every morning, endured not an easy way – for 1.5 – 3 hours trip along our roads and forgot about all the hardships, giving a part of themselves and their hearts to children, with a deep understanding that this present was the most important for every child!

They are: Natalia Brynza, Anfisa Pavlosiuk and her unbelievably open-hearted and sincere son Matviyko, Olena Iakovleva, Tetiana Lebiedieva and our friends from the center “My Home” – Ievhen Seriuga, Vitalii Toporov, Soloviov Danylo, Avdieiev Artur, Chepok Aliona, camera man Viktor, animator Nikita and SMM-specialist of the chain store “Kibernetiki” Maria, our photographers Alina Mazurenko, Alyona Martynenko, Violetta Vdovychenko! You are the best!

Thank you for your help and your support!

Last year we were supported by the Charity Fund of Ievhen Ryshchuk and the chain store Kibernetiki in a desire to present a real Pre-New-Year fairy-tale to 200 of orphans and children without parental care, children with disabilities from Kherson and Kherson Oblast. This year, we are proud to announce that we have got more official partners! Let’s get acquainted!

The Charity Fund of Ievhen Ryshchuk. Thanks to the Fund’s help we have received not only toys for boys – different cars and guns – treasures in which we, the girls, have no good handle at all)), but also we have a possibility to reach Oblast Boarding Institutions in Kalanchak, Novotroitsk and Gola Prystan Regions!

The chain store of electronics Kibernetiki. There is such kind of friends, in whose help and support you are always sure. Kibernetiki trusted our idea last year and supported KWU in 2018 as well! Do you know that 1% of each purchase at the chain store will be transferred on the presents’ acquisition for orphans? This is the easiest way to join the project in Kherson and Nova Kakhovka! And be positive, dancing with Kibernetiki!

Toyota Center Kherson is a friend, whom you don’t need to call for twice. To make location? – Without no doubts! To help with transfer and keeping presents? – “Please, contact us, we will be glad to help with it!” By the way, location at Toyota Center Kherson “Auto-Plaza” was the first one organized this year and very popular one!

Beauty Salon Frederic Moreno, Kherson doesn’t trail far behind! Location that presented fulfillment of dreams to more than 10 children!

Shop Zair Terroir Kherson is not only a place where you can buy a favourite drink, but also fulfill a child’s dream, having read THAT letter to Saint Nickolas!

Contact Zoo "Strana ENOTiYA", Shopping and Recreation Center "Fabrika", we really appreciate your understanding, social responsibility and readiness to accommodate paternalized children of KWU!

Company UKRAVIT, we thank you for the support! ✨
Fabric of Original Presents Design, we would like to thank you for the organization of presents’ gathering in the town of Skadovsk! For the original presents for children – motivational cups with the original design of KWU “Dreams do come true!”

Strong informational support was organized by Radio ROKS Kherson, the magazine KHERSONcity – the magazine of your city, Television and Radio Company Skifia! Follow our announcments on the air! We will share our project’s summary on the New Year’s Eve!

Photo: Alina Mazurenko, Aliona Martynenko