The Community Support Foundation from Bacău and the Vodafone Romania Foundation have recently organised the Bacău Volunteer Gala, an event which rewarded the most admirable volunteer initiatives in Bacău and the most active volunteers in the county.
The event, also marking the International Volunteer Day (5th of December), awarded prizes for Volunteer of the Year in Bacău county, Volunteer Project of the Year and the most successful projects initiated and implemented in high-schools and colleges.
Volunteer of the Year 2014 in Bacău county was Ştefana-Elena Bostan from the Association for Active Development. Other awards were received by Delia Mihaela Grigore, on behalf of the Regional Ecology Centre and Bianca Elena Baciu, representative for „There is hope” Association.
Volunteer project of the year 2014
The project that won the grand prize was „Youth Bank”, carried out by the Bacău Community Foundation. „Youth Bank” was launched as early as 2006 and its core concept is that the new generation will shape the future. Henceforth, they are provided with an environment where they can work together and make decisions concerning the community they live in. Known as „the youngest bankers in Romania”, they promote and transparently administer a special fund designed to help finance and implement projects initiated by high-school students. The programme builds a mechanism which encourages behaviours related to philanthropy, civic initiative and responsibility in young individuals.
Second place was won by the „Interact Night” project, put forth by Interact Club Bacău. The project consisted of a series of 15 workshops where participants were offered the opportunity to learn something new in 50 minutes. The workshops tackled a number of subjects, including fear of public speaking or learning to play the musical instrument you have always dreamed about.
The bronze medal was earned by the humanitarian campaign „Help us help them„, initiated by the „There is hope” Association, through which approximately 60 children from low-income families were offered support by means of food, clothing, toys and money.
In the „Volunteer projects initiated and implemented in high-schools and colleges” category, the grand prize winner was the „Communication supersedes isolation” project, put forward by the Centre of Prevention, Evaluation and Counselling for Drug Abuse.
The runner up was the „Recreate your world” project, set up by the „Henry Coandă” College and the project occupying third place was „Volunteering in Vrânceanu”, initiated by the Gh. Vrânceanu College.
