On Monday, November 30, 2020, the first auction of gifts collected by the Friends of Program 1 of the Polish Radio: outstanding artists, athletes, and scientists, was launched. Again the honorary patronage over the action was taken by the First Lady – Agata Kornhauser-Duda. Because of the pandemic restrictions, this year’s edition of the Charity Action of Program 1 of the Polish Radio “Choinki Jedynki” had an untraditional form. Instead of the popular action of Christmas artwork painting “Mysteries of Christmas” in the main building of the Polish Radio, Friends of the Program 1 invited to participate in the event offered their gifts. Prof. Henryk Skarżyński – as the only one in history – received the invitation for the third time.
Prof. H. Skarżyński donated for the auction a commemorative tie with snail images together with a certificate confirming that it is a piece taken from his collection, which in 2012 was entered in the Guinness Book of Records in the category “The Largest Collection of Objects with an Image of a Snail”.
To invite to the auction, the Professor mentioned how the idea for such a collection emerged. – Snails are a symbol that I fully identify with what I do. In my opinion, you either do something well, fully commit to it; otherwise, you shouldn’t even start. These snails of mine made of various materials or turned into fossils by nature resemble the most important part of the inner ear – the cochlea, which makes it possible to hear. In any case, I try to consistently promote in various ways the idea of treating hearing disorders.
From Monday, November 30 to Friday, December 4, during the “Cztery pory roku” [Four Seasons] program, the radio station’s journalists will conduct phone auctions (9.00-11.52) and SMS auctions (9.00-11.40). Donations include sports gadgets from Czeslaw Lang, Polish Football Association, Kajetan Kajetanowicz, and Maciej Szczepaniak, works of Wieslaw Ochman, Christmas dress of Dominika Gawęda, a tie from the record-breaking “snail collection” of Prof. Henryk Skarzynski, Filip Lata’s guitar, a set of records and an invitation to the headquarters of Stanislaw Hadyna Song and Dance Ensemble “Śląsk”, and a short phone call or online meeting with selected donors.
Other contributors of gifts to the auctions are: First Lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda, the Blue Café ensemble, Zbigniew Cierniak with Stanislaw Hadyna Silesian Song and Dance Ensemble “Śląsk”, Roman Czejarek, Malwina de Bradé, Anna Dymna, Viki Gabor, Aleksandra Gintrowska, Marcin Gortat, Igor Herbut, Hubert Hurkacz, Paweł Janas, Otylia Jędrzejczak, Jula, Kajetan “Kajto” Kajetanowicz and Maciej Szczepaniak, Czesław Lang, Filip Lato, Małgorzata Lazarek, Adam Małysz, Prof. Krzysztof Meissner, Prof. Andrzej Nowak, Wiesław Ochman, Polish Football Association, Roksana Węgiel, Iga Świątek, Paweł Tur and the Association of Polish Stage Artists.
The entire profits from the auction will be donated to the Anna Dymna Foundation “Mimo Wszystko “[Against the Odds] and Prof. Andrzej Cechnicki’s Association for the Development of Psychiatry and Environmental Care.