During the 18th Nationale-Nederlanden Warsaw Half Marathon and the accompanying New Balance High Five Race, big-hearted runners raised 760,000 PLN for those in need! All thanks to the charitable running campaign #BiegamDobrze (#IRunWell) by the Warsaw Marathon Foundation. Since its inception, participants have donated over 9 million PLN to social organizations.
The start of spring in Warsaw, namely the 18th Nationale-Nederlanden Warsaw Half Marathon and its accompanying New Balance High Five Race, is now behind us! A record-breaking number of 18,000 runners crossed the finish line! Nearly a thousand participants opted for the charitable registration path – the #BiegamDobrze path. Together, they raised 760,000 PLN for social organizations.
The #BiegamDobrze charitable running campaign
Since 2015, the Warsaw Marathon Foundation has been running the #BiegamDobrze charitable running campaign. As part of the project, participants can run in races and simultaneously engage in helping those in need. By signing up for #BiegamDobrze, a runner sets up their individual virtual piggy bank and selects a social cause close to their heart. Through their own fundraising efforts and communication, they raise funds to support their chosen aid organization. In return for their commitment, they receive a race bib as a gift.
– Charitable actions may be associated with immense sacrifices and dedication for some. In our campaign, we show that we can be part of something bigger and help without revolutionizing our lives. Anyone who decides to prepare for the race can choose the charitable path instead of the classic registration and receive a race bib as a gift. Time will pass anyway – we will still be training – so it’s worth adding “something more” to our preparations and commitment to participating in the race. From participants’ feedback, we know that the decision to participate in #BiegamDobrze strengthens self-confidence, sense of agency, purpose, and community. – says Magda Skrocka, COO of the Warsaw Marathon Foundation. – I dream that every participant of our races would try to sign up for a race through #BiegamDobrze at least once and experience what it feels like.
Since the beginning of the campaign, over 9 million PLN has been raised for charitable purposes, and more than twenty charitable organizations have benefited from the support gathered by event participants. The funds collected have been used, among other things, to renovate the waiting room at the oncology department of the Warsaw Medical Academy; to carry out a therapy program for individuals on the autism spectrum; to subsidize a helpline for children and youth; to build a playground for children with disabilities in the Royal Łazienki Park, and to purchase necessary rehabilitation equipment and hearing aids for participants of the Warsaw Uprising.
In addition to the tangible, real dimension of assistance, the campaign also has an additional, humorous aspect. Each participant chooses their own way of engaging and promoting their own fundraising. In addition to their own contributions and encouraging their closest friends and family, runners go above and beyond in their initiatives – dressing up, taking on challenges, preparing individual rewards for donors, organizing garage sales, and creating crafts.
Extra Reward for Runners
In addition to striving to achieve their fundraising goals, participants have the opportunity to earn an extra reward and donate it to a chosen foundation. Nationale-Nederlanden once again provided funding in the amounts of 15,000, 10,000, and 5,000 PLN to the fundraising efforts of three individuals who decided to participate in the half marathon distance and raised the most funds on their accounts on the Saturday before the race.
– The #BiegamDobrze campaign combines a passion for sports and a healthy lifestyle with the idea of helping others, which is incredibly close to our hearts. We are delighted that so many people have engaged in the campaign as part of the 18th Nationale-Nederlanden Warsaw Half Marathon. By funding the highest fundraisers in the half marathon, as Nationale-Nederlanden, we wanted to appreciate the efforts of the runners participating in a noble cause and promote social engagement and the willingness to provide selfless assistance, – says Marta Pokutycka-Mądrala, Director of Corporate Communication and Press Spokesperson at Nationale-Nederlanden.
Meaning for Everyone
Thanks to the #BiegamDobrze campaign, every participant can add an extra meaning to their running, providing them with a tremendous boost of motivation. Fundraising doesn’t have to be record-breaking, and ideas for promotion can be surprising. Simply participating in something important, valuable, and bigger matters – each of us needs to feel needed, involved, and empowered – it contributes to our well-being.
Doing something good for others doesn’t necessarily mean tapping into our resources. All runners dedicate their energy and time to preparations. By opting for a run with an orange number, we can do something not only for ourselves and achieve our own goals but also for others. And it’s easier to run for a good cause!
