The Slovenian police have taken part in the charity campaign Give a Toy and a Smile. We were very happy to accept the invitation of the promoters of the charity campaign organised by Red Cross Slovenia and Petrol, and in the middle of November we organised the internal collection of toys among our almost ten thousand employees in all police units in Slovenia.
And the result? We have collected over two tonnes or almost 15,00 toys!
The response from police officers and other police employees exceeded all our expectations. The 2,340 kilograms of toys collected - almost 15,000 of them - are evidence of police officers' strong sense of social responsibility and care for their fellow human beings, which is apparent not only in their everyday work but also in gestures like this. Their participation in charity campaigns also encourages solidarity in others.
Police work of a different kind at the Novo Mesto Police Directorate.
Soon after the start of the campaign they ran out of room at the Ljubljana Police Directorate
The collecting of toys in this pre-festive season at police units throughout the country has created a very special atmosphere and given us the feeling that this is another way for us to contribute our share of social responsibility. The motivation for this extraordinary humanitarian campaign was the belief that through this simple act we would help put a smile on the face of youngsters who are deprived of many of the joys of childhood. We therefore rummaged through our homes and together with our own children collected books, teddy bears, puzzles, building bricks, toy cars, balls, etc.
Everyone helped.
A corridor full of toys at the Maribor Police Directorate
The incredible willingness to take part resulted in an enormous number of cardboard boxes filled to bursting and bags crammed with countless colourful toys. It was a real feast for the eyes, since it was a reflection of genuine empathy and awareness that helping one's fellow human beings is the noblest act of all.
There was not enough room in the lorry for all the toys
Collecting took place in all eleven Police Directorates and at the General Police Directorate. The police thus joined numerous nursery schools and schools from all over Slovenia, and also many businesses and organisations that have responded to this humanitarian initiative, either through group collecting and giving or by spreading the idea of the campaign's mission among their employees and families.
The toys from the Krško Police Directorate will soon be getting new owners.
The office at the Koper Police Directorate soon proved to be too small.
Just a small selection of the toys collected by the Murska Sobota Police Directorate
The purpose of the campaign, which ended on 30 November, was to collect as many toys as possible for less privileged children and offer them the same opportunities for a better life and personal development.
Another achievement for the Celje Police Directorate to be proud of.
Many children will be delighted with the toys from the Kranj Police Directorate
Playing is a central development and learning activity and as such is a fundamental right of every child. By developing learning and motor skills, it stimulates children to go beyond their abilities and enables them to create better opportunities for life. Unfortunately, however, toys and playing are increasingly the privilege of those who can afford them, while many children are forced to grow up too quickly and take on numerous responsibilities which ought to be borne by adults.
The Give a Toy and Smile campaign has a twofold mission: in the children who give, it encourages the development of active compassion for the less privileged members of society; in the children who receive, it encourages confidence in the possibility of positive changes.
Collecting toys was also fun!
The officers of the Postojna Police Directorate were among the diligent toy collectors. These toys were collected by a single police station (Jelšane Border Police Station).
The great quantity of toys momentarily got in the way of work at the Slovenj Gradec Police Directorate.
Once collection was over, we sent all the collected toys to a central depot where this week they will be sorted in cleaned. After that the Red Cross, via its regional associations and in conjunction with the Red Cross organisations of individual countries, will distribute them to children in Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro.
The police sent over two lorry loads of toys to the central depot!
The sea of toys at the central depot in Rače
Probably the biggest toy to be donated
On Thursday 11 December 2008, together with representatives of the other institutions taking part in the campaign, we shall symbolically hand over the collected toys at the Republic of Slovenia Institute for Rehabilitation.
The police collected three piles like this.